Pennsylvania Republican Shuts Down Haitian Migrant Claims: ‘Not True’

A Republican state senator has spoken out against a conservative account for its post about Haitian migrants amid the controversy in Springfield, Ohio.

Springfield found itself at the center of a political firestorm last week, over claims, repeated by former President Donald Trump during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, that Haitian migrants have been killing pets and park birds for food. City officials have debunked the rumors multiple times.

Newsweek has broken down everything about where these rumors came from and how Springfield ended up in this position.

The X account Libs of TikTok, run by conservative activist Chaya Raichik, posted a clip showing several parked vans in Charleroi, Pennsylvania.

Libs of TikTok captioned the video: “Incredible footage revealing an operation in Charleroi, PA where Haitians are being bussed to and from food factories operated by Fourth Street Foods.

“It’s estimated that 90 [percent] of workers are now made up of Haitians. Kamala imported 2,000 Haitians into this town of 4,000 people and now they’re taking American jobs.”

But Pennsylvania state Senator Camera Bartolotta, who represents the Charleroi area, denied the claim, saying: “This is not true.”

The Republican lawmaker wrote: “The business owner provides transportation for workers to get to & from his facility. These are not immigrants being bussed in by Kamala. I follow you & repost but you are playing into the hands of people who are jeopardizing the safety of innocent children in our local school.”

A bomb threat, which officials said included “hateful language toward immigrants and Haitians in our community,” was sent to two elementary schools in Springfield, along with its City Hall and the Clark County courthouse.

Additionally, there was an emailed threat regarding a potential shooting on campus at Wittenberg University, a private liberal arts college in Springfield, leading to evacuations and the cancellation of planned events.

Bartolotta went on: “These Haitians are working hard, sending their children to school and opening businesses. They are here legally. They did not cross our border. Many are professionals who escaped horrific conditions in their home country.

“There was no workforce in Charleroi a few years ago when a business owner desperately needed them. He advertised and looked for workers for a long time. Before shutting down completely, he hired an agency that connected immigrants who were vetted and LEGAL to work in his facility.

“Instead of closing, he now has three shifts working around the clock. He also renovated multiple dilapidated apartment buildings and put them back on the tax roll for the town. He’s been vilified wrongly. Please, check the facts before posting information that jeopardizes the safety of good, hard-working people. Thank you.”

Libs of TikTok replied to Bartolotta, accusing her of “blasting Trump when he mentioned what’s going on in Charleroi.”

The account then posted links to what it said was “residents describing an uptick in crime and car accidents, the jobs problem, the disaster in the schools, and the strain on the town.”

This was a nod to how, over the weekend, Bartolotta responded to Trump saying Charleroi “has experienced a 2,000 percent increase in the population of Haitian migrants under Kamala Harris,” calling it a “flood of illegal aliens” and claiming it has brought “massive crime.”

Bartolotta wrote on Facebook: “This is a completely different scenario than other states where Biden was flying or busing in illegals from Haiti or from other countries. Many of the Haitians in Charleroi have been here for two or three years already.”

She hit back at Libs of TikTok: “I didn’t attack you and I never ‘blasted Trump.’ I’m working with sheriff and Police who said no uptick in drugs, theft, DV, but some fights within the community. I am not saying there are no problems.

“I secured funding for the teachers to learn ELL and for translation tools. There is more coming. I’m working to get drivers education for adults and teens and demanding no one get a drivers license who can’t prove they’re capable and know the rules of the road. I am working on answers to issues for all of the residents in my district.”

Fourth Street Foods, the company named in the Libs of TikTok post, has also posted a response on its website, calling the claims about it “unfounded criticism.”

The company said: “Allegations claim the company replaced American workers with immigrants to cut labor costs; this is untrue and a complete fabrication.

“Fourth Street Foods takes pride in being a long-standing part of the Charleroi community, employing both local and international workers.

“Our mission prioritizes providing safe and valued employment to all, regardless of origin, without displacing American workers. We regret that recent political attention has cast our town negatively amidst rebuilding efforts.”

Newsweek has contacted Raichik, via direct message on X, for a response. Newsweek has also contacted Bartolotta, via a call to her press team, and Fourth Street Foods, via email, for comment.

Last weekend saw Trump’s vice presidential pick, Ohio Senator JD Vance, confronted for repeating the rumors about Haitian migrants eating pets in Springfield.

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CNN host Dana Bash pressed Vance on Sunday about the claims, when she said: “Before Donald Trump talked about eating dogs and cats on a debate stage, it was you, senator, who first elevated this baseless rumor. These are your constituents, so why are you putting them at risk by continuing to spread claims about Haitian immigrants, despite officials in your state saying there is no evidence and pleading for them to stop?”

Vance reiterated his previous claims, that his office had heard reports of Haitian migrants eating pets, and called accusations he was putting a community at risk “disgusting.”

He said: “You just accused me of inciting violence against the community when all that I’ve done is surface the complaints of my constituents, people who are suffering because of Kamala Harris’ policies. Are we not allowed to talk about these problems because some psychopaths are threatening violence?”

Many Haitian migrants are in the U.S., including in Springfield, under the Immigration Parole Program, which, under certain conditions, allows noncitizens to remain in the U.S. temporarily without meeting standard visa or immigration requirements.

Last year, President Joe Biden‘s administration launched a Humanitarian Parole Program specifically for Haitians, Venezuelans, Cubans and Nicaraguans, allowing a certain number of individuals from these countries to apply for parole. They have to meet specific requirements, which can include having a U.S. sponsor and passing a background check. Haiti was included in the list given its struggles with political instability, frequent natural disasters, gang violence and long-standing poverty.

Vance argues that Haitian migrants are still illegal because their legality has been achieved only “through the abuse of asylum laws.”

In a NewsNation interview last Thursday, Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said: “Under the current federal policy, they’re here legally and they’re here and there’s nothing that’s taking them out right away, so as a community, we’re trying to embrace them.”

Newsweek has contacted Vance via email for comment.