Haitian Americans in Springfield, Ohio, and across the United States are expressing growing concern for their safety after former President Donald Trump repeated unfounded claims during a recent presidential debate that Haitian immigrants in the area were involved in eating household pets. These baseless accusations have not only inflamed tensions in the small city but have also triggered fears of violence and discrimination among the Haitian community.
During the debate, Trump asserted that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were "eating the dogs" and "eating the cats," echoing similar false statements made by his running mate, U.S. Senator JD Vance of Ohio, on social media. Despite these claims being swiftly debunked by local officials, the damage had already been done, with Haitian community leaders reporting an increase in threats and hostility.
"We have to be careful where we go," said Viles Dorsainvil, who heads a Haitian community center in Springfield. Dorsainvil revealed that the center had received threatening phone calls following Trump's remarks, and he noted that one of his friends, who works at an Amazon warehouse, was considering leaving the area due to the growing animosity.
Springfield city officials, including spokesperson Karen Graves, have confirmed that there have been no credible reports of anyone eating household animals. However, Graves acknowledged that some Haitian residents had been victims of "crimes of opportunity," such as property theft. The situation has been further exacerbated by social media, where misinformation and racist rhetoric have been amplified, leading to instances of bullying, assaults, and intimidation against Haitian families in the community.
Tensions in Springfield have been simmering for some time, particularly since a tragic incident in 2023 when a Haitian driver, operating a vehicle without a valid Ohio license, struck a school bus, resulting in the death of an 11-year-old boy and injuries to 26 other children. The event, which deeply affected the community, has been exploited by some local residents and political figures to stoke anti-immigrant sentiment.
Richard Jordan, a Springfield resident, voiced his frustrations during a recent city council meeting, warning that "things are going to get ugly" as the community grapples with the influx of Haitian immigrants, which has strained local resources such as schools and health clinics.
Nathan Clark, the father of the boy who died in the school bus accident, publicly criticized Trump and Vance for using his son's death to further their political agendas. "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."
The situation has garnered national attention, particularly after Trump's remarks were further amplified by billionaire Elon Musk on his social media platform, X. This amplification has only deepened the fear and anxiety among Haitian immigrants, many of whom are now considering leaving Springfield to escape the rising hostility.
Guerline Jozef, executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a national advocacy group, expressed her deep concern about the potential consequences of these falsehoods. "When Trump mentioned it, my heart fell to the floor," she said. "This has become a nationwide lie that people everywhere are repeating."
The broader Haitian American community has also reacted with alarm. Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, the only Haitian-American in Congress, condemned Trump's rhetoric, stating that it endangers 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.
The false narrative being pushed by Trump and his supporters has been met with calls for restraint and responsibility from local leaders in Springfield. Melanie Flax Wilt, a Republican commissioner in Clark County, urged the community to "stop feeding the fear" and focus on finding solutions to the challenges posed by the rapid growth of the immigrant population.
Despite these efforts, the damage may already be done. Longtime Springfield resident Chris Hazel likened the accusations to historical attempts to dehumanize outsiders, calling the claims "preposterous" and "dehumanizing."
