Two Haitian migrants have responded to allegations about members of the community eating pets and park birds in Springfield, Ohio.
The accusations—debunked by city officials—spread on social media over the weekend before they were repeated by Donald Trump during his presidential debate with Kamala Harris on Tuesday night.
Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, has repeated the accusations several times, saying his office had received “many inquiries from actual residents of Springfield who’ve said their neighbors’ pets or local wildlife were abducted by Haitian migrants.” However, he also added: “It’s possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false.”
Springfield City has issued a statement saying there have been “no credible reports” of pets being harmed by the Haitian community.
In the last several weeks, my office has received many inquiries from actual residents of Springfield who’ve said their neighbors’ pets or local wildlife were abducted by Haitian migrants. It’s possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false.
Do you know…
— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 10, 2024
The Ohio bureau of USA Today spoke to some Haitians living in Springfield, which has seen its Haitian population grow by around 15,000-20,000 in the last four years per city authorities.
Alimemby Estimable said: “I’ve been seeing a lot of people talking about a lot of stuff that’s not accurate. You know, saying, like, all Haitians are cutting ducks’ necks and eating them at the park and like, they’re running into trash cans and homes and stuff. I ain’t never seen a Haitian do that before. I’m just keep it real, because I’m a Haitian myself.”
The 19-year-old, who graduated from Springfield High School and went on to work at an Amazon warehouse, said he has been called a “dirty Haitian” and an “illegal.”
Another Haitian, Morvens Pierre, said Haitians just want to work.
Estimable pushed back against claims that Haitian people were in Springfield illegally.
“The majority of us, we work in warehouses, factories—you can’t work there illegally,” he said. “Obviously, we’re legally working.”
The city of Springfield explicitly states on its immigration FAQs page: “YES, Haitian immigrants are here legally, under the Immigration Parole Program.”
Vance has called Haitian migrants in Springfield illegal before, as recently as Monday, previously arguing that the label is accurate because their legality has been achieved only “through the abuse of asylum laws.”
Mike DeWine Shuts Down Donald Trump’s Migrant Claims
Ohio’s Republican Governor Mike DeWine said people should believe officials who have said there are no reports of Haitian migrants eating cats, ducks, and geese.
He told CBS News: “This is something that came up on the internet. The internet can be quite crazy sometimes. Mayor [Rob] Rue, says, ‘No there’s no truth in that,’ they have no evidence of that at all. So I think we go with what the mayor says, he knows his city.”
DeWine said people should focus on the challenges with regard to the surge in immigration and sought federal help.
Springfield had a population of just under 60,000 when the Haitian migrants came to the city and, by many accounts, the newcomers have contributed to the city’s economic boom.
McGregor Metal, a family-owned business, told The New York Times how it was lacking workers after it had invested in upping production before “the Haitians were there to fill those positions,” chief executive Jamie McGregor said.
Similarly, Joe Ruck, a co-owner of Champion City Cuts Barber Shop, told USA Today that Haitian immigrants are working the jobs no one else wanted.
Water flows through the fountain in Fountain Square in Springfield, Ohio, September 11. Springfield has been at the center of an immigration debate this week.
AP
But the uptick in population has put pressure on Springfield’s education, healthcare, and housing.
On July 8, Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck wrote a letter to Ohio senators about its “housing crisis.”
“Springfield has seen a surge in population through immigration that has significantly impacted our ability as a community to produce enough housing opportunities for all,” Heck said.
On Tuesday, just before the presidential debate, DeWine announced he would send law enforcement and millions of dollars in healthcare resources to Springfield.
He said he does not oppose the Temporary Protected Status under which some of the Haitians are living in Springfield but called for the federal government to do more to help impacted communities.
