Trump and JD Vance Repeat False Claims About Haitian Immigrants Eating Pets, Ohio Officials Deny Allegations
Baseless Claims Spread Across Social Media
Trump and JD Vance Repeat False Claims About Haitian Immigrants Eating Pets, Ohio Officials Deny Allegations Ohio officials have denied allegations that Senator JD Vance of Ohio and former President Donald Trump, who supported the claims on social media, that Springfield’s Haitian immigrants are kidnapping and eating animals. Even though these claims received a lot of attention online, officials said there was no proof to back them up. 10.7 million people viewed Vance’s post on platform X alone, and Trump reaffirmed the assertion in a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
In the past, Vance had expressed opposition to Haitian immigrants, claiming that people who “should not be in this country” were kidnapping and eating their pets and that they were “causing chaos” in Springfield. Trump said that immigrants in Springfield were consuming pets during a debate, restating these charges. When asked about the reports he had seen on television, Trump insisted, but ABC’s David Muir refuted them, bringing this up.
Ohio officials confirm there is not any evidence
Springfield officials, such as Leann Castillo of the Clark County Park District and Karen Graves, the city spokesperson, have attested to the fact that there are no reliable reports of immigrants injuring pets. In response to the rumors, Graves stated that there had been no reports of animals being harmed by the immigrant population. Castillo agreed, stating that there was no evidence or information pertaining to the consumption of animals or pets in the surrounding parks.
Where the Rumor Started
It appears that a viral post in a closed Springfield Facebook group is where the false claim first surfaced. The post described a situation where a resident’s cat was allegedly found near a Haitian neighbor’s house, which sparked widespread speculation online.
Screenshots of this post have been widely circulated across social media platforms, despite the inability of news outlets to verify its authenticity. Some online users have also shared unrelated footage of an Ohio woman accused of killing and eating a cat, though it was later revealed that this woman had not spent years residing in Ohio as an immigrant.
Local Officials Call for Calm Amid Rumors
Springfield, a city with around 58,000 residents, has seen a recent rise in migrant populations, including approximately 10,000 Haitian immigrants. Despite the influx, local authorities have urged calm, dispelling not only rumors about pet abductions but also claims that immigrants were squatting, littering, or disrupting traffic.
Local community organizations, like the Haitian Community Help and Support Center, continue to assist the growing migrant population while local leaders work to maintain peace in the community amidst these baseless claims.
Conclusion
Despite the spread of these allegations across social media, Ohio officials have made it clear that no credible evidence exists to support claims that Haitian immigrants are harming pets in Springfield. The city continues to encourage unity and understanding as they address the growing migrant community.
