Texas Senator Ted Cruz mocked Democrats after making light of former president Donald Trump‘s pet-eating claims.
Trump claimed migrants in Ohio are “eating cats and dogs” during his debate-night clash with Vice President Kamala Harris.
But Cruz made a joke about Democrats hating cats, after officials debunked reports about immigrants eating pets in Springfield.
Cruz said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “Why do Democrats hate cats?” His gag appears at odds with fellow Republican and vice presidential nominee JD Vance who suggested Democrat leaders are a bit too fond of felines, when he branded them “cat ladies.”
Newsweek has contacted the Harris campaign and office of Senator Cruz for comment.
Reports of Haitian migrants allegedly stealing and consuming animals have gained widespread attention after circulating online, amplified recently by social media posts from prominent political figures.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas speaks during Day 2 of the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI, July 16, 2024. He has joked about Democrat fury over cat-eating claims.
AP
A spokesperson for Springfield told Newsweek there are “no credible reports” that pets or other animals had been harmed or abused by immigrants.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz shared a meme on his social media, featuring an appeal to the electorate to vote for Trump “so Haitian immigrants stop eating us.”
Migrants have been attracted to Ohio due to affordable living costs and employment opportunities.
Local authorities estimate that roughly 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants reside in the county of Springfield, which has strained public services. However, officials emphasized that these migrants are legally present in the country.
Trump’s campaign team said the people of Springfield are “suffering” following the emergence of debunked claims surrounding Haitian migrants eating pets.
Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s Campaign National Press Secretary, told Newsweek: “We hope the media will continue to cover the stories of the very real suffering and tragedies experienced by the people of Springfield, Ohio, which have been largely ignored by the liberal mainstream media until now.
“While the media may find these stories and experiences unimportant and inconvenient, President Trump will continue giving a voice to Americans who are expressing their concerns about the influx of illegals and rising migrant crime in their communities.”
Former President Donald Trump at the border wall on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, in Pharr, Texas. The presidential candidate claimed that immigrants are eating people’s pets in the TV debate with Kamala Harris.
Joel Martinez/The Monitor
Harris-Walz Campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement following the debate: “Americans saw exactly what kind of President Kamala Harris will be: one who offers a new way forward for the country, who will be a president for all Americans, and who will turn the page once and for all on the darkness and division of Donald Trump.”
James Massa, NumbersUSA’s CEO, told Newsweek: “Immigration is at the forefront of concerns of American voters, and President Trump repeatedly made the border and illegal immigration central to his comments.
“Vice President Harris did not distance herself from her own administration’s disastrous immigration policies. President Trump, meanwhile, justifiably criticized the Biden-Harris administration’s failures, emphasizing significant crimes committed by illegal immigrants released into the United States, which he termed “migrant crime.”
“Harris repeatedly claimed to support border security measures, although her own record is starkly in contrast with her promises. Trump assured Americans that he would deport millions of inadmissible aliens who have been allowed into the United States by the Biden-Harris administration.”
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