During a recent presidential debate, Republican candidate Donald Trump made a false and derogatory claim about Haitian immigrants eating household pets. This statement has caused a wave of fear and tension within the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, where thousands of Haitian arrivals have recently settled.
Haitian community leaders across the U.S. are expressing deep concern about the potential impact of Trump’s remarks. They fear that the candidate’s words could incite violence and further exacerbate existing tensions in Springfield. Viles Dorsainvil, head of a Haitian community center in the city, revealed that the center has received threatening phone calls since the debate. He also shared the story of a friend who works at an Amazon warehouse and is considering leaving due to the increasing hostility he faces. “He said that things are getting out of hand now; the way people are treating us, making bad comments about us,” Dorsainvil said.
Trump’s comment about “they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats” is just the latest in a long line of false statements he has made about immigrants. His running mate, U.S. Senator JD Vance of Ohio, has also spread similar misinformation on social media about Springfield’s new residents. However, city officials have denied any credible reports of pet-eating incidents.
Despite the lack of evidence, the false claim has fueled existing frustrations among some residents of Springfield, who feel overwhelmed by the influx of Haitians. They argue that the arrival of approximately 15,000 Haitians in recent years has strained local resources like schools, health clinics, and housing. Tensions escalated following a tragic incident in 2023, when a Haitian driver without an Ohio license struck a school bus, killing an 11-year-old boy and injuring 26 other children.
The Haitian Times reported that some Haitian families in Springfield are keeping their children home from school due to fears of bullying and harassment. Other sources told the newspaper that Haitian residents have faced verbal abuse, physical assaults, and intimidation in front of their homes, often fueled by racist rhetoric amplified on social media.
The situation has prompted calls for action and condemnation from various leaders and organizations. The father of the boy killed in the school bus incident, Nathan Clark, criticized Trump and Vance for exploiting his son’s death to spread hate against immigrants. “They can vomit all the hate they want about illegal immigrants, the border crisis, and even untrue claims about fluffy pets being ravaged and eaten by community members,” Clark said. “However, they are not allowed, nor have they ever been allowed, to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio.”
Meanwhile, the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a national advocacy group, has been working to counter the misinformation about Haitian immigrants. When Trump repeated the false claim during the debate, Guerline Jozef, head of the organization, expressed her heartbreak. “This has become a nationwide lie that people everywhere are repeating,” she said.
Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, the only Haitian-American in Congress, condemned Trump’s rhetoric, highlighting the dangers it poses to Haitians across the country. “We’ve heard these stereotypes for years about Haitian people, Black immigrants, doing all these things that we know aren’t true,” she said.
While Springfield city officials acknowledge the challenges associated with the rapid growth of the Haitian population, they emphasize that the majority of Haitian migrants are in the country legally and contribute to the local economy. The city has seen the opening of new Haitian businesses, including restaurants and grocery stores.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has announced state support for Haitian residents in Springfield, including funding for vaccines and health services. He has also called on the Biden administration to provide additional aid to cities experiencing a sudden influx of new migrants.
Republican strategist Mike Madrid, founder of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, believes that Trump’s comments are part of a strategy to appeal to white voters who feel a sense of decline in the country. However, he recognizes the potential for violence fueled by such divisive rhetoric.
The situation in Springfield highlights the damaging consequences of spreading misinformation about immigrant communities. It underscores the importance of combating prejudice and promoting understanding and acceptance of diverse populations.
