Debate - Springfield fact check | Photo by Paul Vernon / AP
During the national debate on Sept. 10, Republican candidate Donald Trump made claims that the Haitian immigrant population in Springfield, Ohio was “eating pets,” which sparked an uproar throughout the nation. This has been followed by a media frenzy throughout the small town, which leaves the nation wondering: are these founded claims?
What happened?
“They are eating the cats, they are eating the dogs, they are eating the pets in Springfield,” Republican Candidate Donald Trump said during the national debate.
This phrase sparked a frenzy that showed light on the small town of Springfield, Ohio.
Springfield has seen what has been described as a large influx of Haitian immigrants over the last few years. While there are claims of almost 20,000 new Haitians in Springfield alone, this has been disproven slightly, as the US Census and The City Commissioner has stated that this number is lower.
“Although it is impossible to provide an exact number, based on data provided from numerous sources, such as Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Springfield City Schools, area healthcare providers and social services agencies, the total immigrant population is estimated to be approximately 12,000 – 15,000 in Clark County,” City Commissioner and Mayor Rob Rue said in a public statement.
The US Census estimates the actual number of Haitian Immigrants in the 5,000-8,000 range as of 2023.
The Haitian population is here seeking refuge after strife in Haiti, They are here under Temporary Protection Status.
What is Temporary Protection Status?
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Temporary Protection Status (TPS) is a Federal Immigration Program that allows citizens of war filled countries to apply to temporary asylum in the United States. During their time here, they are considered legal citizens.
TPS needs to be renewed and it must be approved by an Immigration Judge in America. If a person under TPS commits a crime they are subject to having their status in jeopardy. Consequences include and are not limited to deportation and non reapproval.
Those interested in learning more about TPS can visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s website.
City backlash
Springfield has been facing severe consequences since being mentioned by Trump in the debate. The initial public spotlight created a myriad of viral memes and jokes on behalf of the city as citizens argued over whether or not Trump should have even mentioned Springfield to begin with.
“It wasn’t his place, " Springfield resident Dianne Van Hoose said. “He doesn’t live in Springfield, he doesn’t need to draw national attention to this problem. We are overpopulated, we have problems. But our problems don’t need to be put on a national platform and used for political gain. It makes us all look like uneducated xenophobic [idiots].”
Racial hate groups, including The Proud Boys and The Blood Tribe, have been spotted in Springfield, protesting the Haitian population. Some are blaming the city.
“I mean, I don’t fully agree with the…Proud Boys, but if the city wouldn't have let them in like that in the first place we wouldn’t be in this mess,” a citizen, who asked to remain anonymous, said.
Residents who work in local businesses have reported having people being hateful and belligerent in their businesses and even calling their businesses asking if they have cat and dog on the menu.
“I had some creepy neo-nazi come into my job the other day when I was bartending,” Olivia King, an employee of a Mexican restaurant downtown, said.
King described the man as being very forthright about being anti-haitian and rude during the entire interaction. But he concerned her by the end of the conversation.
“When I gave him his check he got up and looked at me and said ‘I can’t tell you what’s coming next, but it’s going to blow everyone away.’ Then he left and I had my manager call the cops,” King said.
The person is believed to be from out of town.
Additionally, starting Sept. 13, Springfield City Schools started receiving outside bomb threats to various schools in their district. Students had to be evacuated to a safe area during the investigation.
“It’s scary to randomly get a call that your kids' school is getting bomb threats. [My kids’] haven't been back [to school],” AJ Matthews, a concerned citizen, said. “Regardless of what you feel towards the Hatians, they are people, and all of this hate is starting to affect our children.”
Springfield City Schools have worked with Governor Mike Dewine to implement state troopers and watch towers at every school to ensure student safety.
Wittenberg and Clark State have also received bomb threats, leaving both schools to go virtual for the time being.
The claims made by Trump have affected the community down to its core, so this begs the question: are the claims even true?
Are they eating the pets in Springfield?
The short answer is no, they are not. But how Trump got his information is concerning to some residents.
The first and only mention of cats being eaten by Hatians began with a Facebook post by Erika Lee, claiming that her neighbor's cat had been taken and eaten by their Haitian neighbors. She posted it in the crime group for the city as a warning to residents.
“I’m not a racist,” Lee stated. “I was told by someone who I thought was a reputable source about the cat and I wanted to warn the community. I’m not even a Trump supporter. I would have never wanted this to be used to spread hate.’
Regardless of Intent, this post urged members of the crime group to reach out to the state government, then later JD Vance.
“I watched this happen in real time,” Van Hoose stated. “It was already bad before, but I saw these people get angrier and angrier until one of them had a good idea to send it to Vance. Then it became a witch hunt.”
During an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation, Vance admitted to knowing about the rumors being false, but claimed that it got media attention and will help people address the problem.
"Everybody who has dealt with a large influx of migration knows that sometimes there are cultural practices that seem very far out there to a lot of Americans. Are we not allowed to talk about this in the United States of America? I'm going to talk about what my constituents are sending me,” Vance stated.
Decidedly, whether Vance knew or not, this whole issue has caused nothing but strife in the city of Springfield.
