Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance faced immediate pushback Saturday over his promotion of false claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, after issuing a provocative “challenge” during a campaign rally that overlooked a key fact.
Speaking at the Berks County Fairgrounds in Bern Township, Pennsylvania, Vance doubled down on controversial assertions about the immigrant community in Springfield that have been repeatedly debunked by local officials and journalists who have visited the city.
“I challenge you to go to Springfield, Ohio which has been overwhelmed by 20,000 Haitians. Go to any community that has been overwhelmed by Kamala Harris’ illegal alien policies and tell me that these are stories made up by politicians,” Vance told supporters.
However, Vance’s “challenge” glosses over a crucial fact: numerous officials, including Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, and journalists throughout the nation, have actually visited Springfield and found no evidence to support the sensationalized “pet-eating” claims about Haitian immigrants that Vance and his running mate, Donald Trump, continue to promote.
Newsweek contacted Vance’s campaign via email on Saturday for comment.
Online users took to X, formerly Twitter, immediately to fire back at Vance for continuing to spread the false rumors.
Denver Riggleman, a former GOP congressman from Virginia who split with Trump over Jan. 6 and has endorsed Kamala Harris for president posted a response to Vance’s unsubstantiated claims following the rally. “These are stories made up by racist a*******,” the ex-lawmaker said.
MSNBC analyst and journalist, David Corn responded to the clip of Vance while laying out his call to action: “The Republican governor of Ohio, who is born in Springfield and lives nearby it, says Vance and Trump have been lying about this city.”
The Republican governor of Ohio, who is born in Springfield and lives nearby it, says Vance and Trump have been lying about this city. https://t.co/kNbAigOZOs
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) September 21, 2024
Veteran Jared Ryan Sears also responded to Vance’s “challenge” by posting a link to a Wall Street Journal report refuting the claims in Springfield:
The Ohio senator’s remarks come amid escalating tensions surrounding immigration rhetoric in the 2024 presidential race.
Springfield has found itself at the center of a firestorm after baseless rumors about Haitian immigrants eating pets gained national attention, fueled in part by comments from Vance and Trump.
City officials have repeatedly refuted these claims, with Mayor Rob Rue expressing concern over the impact of such damaging rhetoric on the entire community. “All of these federal politicians who have negatively spun our city need to know they’re hurting our city, and it was their words that did it,” he told local media last week.
Governor DeWine, who visited Springfield in March, emphasized the positive impact of the Haitian community, stating, “They’re working. They’re contributing. They’re part of the community.”
The controversy has had real-world consequences for the entire community in Springfield. On Thursday, the city hall, county courthouse, and two elementary schools were evacuated following bomb threats containing “hateful language toward immigrants and Haitians,” according to officials. Wittenberg University also faced disruptions due to a separate threat.
Despite these incidents and the fact-finding visits by state and local officials, Vance has continued to defend his stance.
In a recent CNN interview with host Dana Bash, he argued he was simply “surfacing the complaints” of his constituents. When pressed on the lack of evidence for the pet-eating claims, Vance made the startling assertion that he would “create stories” if necessary to draw attention to what he views as problems stemming from immigration policies.
Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) delivers remarks during a campaign rally at 2300 Arena on August 6, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vance challenges officials to visit Springfield, Ohio after politicians and journalists debunked the false “pet-eating” claims of the Haitian immigrant community.
Springfield’s Haitian community, estimated between 15,000 to 20,000 individuals, has grown significantly over the past four years. However, city officials note that these immigrants are in the country legally, many under the Immigration Parole Program.
The origin of the false “pet-eating” rumor has been traced to a Facebook post by Springfield resident Erika Lee, who shared unverified suspicions about her neighbor’s missing cat. Lee has since expressed regret over the post’s unintended consequences, telling NBC News, “It just exploded into something I didn’t mean to happen.”
