US news: Donald Trump campaign accuses Ohio immigrants of ‘abducting and eating pets’

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign and his allies are spreading unfounded rumors that Haitian immigrants in Ohio are abducting and eating pets, a continuation of the inflammatory and anti-immigrant rhetoric that has characterized Trump’s campaigns.

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As reported by AP, officials have stated that there is no evidence supporting these claims. Nevertheless, Trump’s campaign, along with Vice Presidential nominee Ohio Sen. JD Vance and other Republicans, have reiterated these allegations this week.

Trump's campaign, which has hit Vice President Kamala Harris for her leadership role in President Joe Biden’s administration on the U.S.-Mexico border, issued a press release Monday, the day before Tuesday's presidential debate, suggesting “Kamala Migrants Ravage Ohio City.” Vance, Trump's running mate, posted Tuesday that his office has “received many inquiries” about Haitian migrants abducting pets, AP reported.

Vance acknowledged Tuesday it was possible “all of these rumors will turn out to be false.”

Officials have said there have been no credible or detailed reports about the claims, even as Trump and his allies use them to amplify racist stereotypes about Black and brown immigrants.

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While president, Trump questioned why the US would accept people from so-called “s-hole” countries like Haiti and places in Africa. His 2024 campaign has focused heavily on illegal immigration, often referencing in his speeches crimes committed by migrants. He argues immigrants are responsible for driving up crime and drug abuse in the United States and taking resources from American citizens.

Here's a closer look at how the false claims have spread.

How did this get started?

On Sept. 6, a post surfaced on X that shared what looked like a screengrab of a social media post apparently out of Springfield, Ohio. The retweeted post talked about the person's “neighbor's daughter's friend” seeing a cat hanging from a tree to be butchered and eaten, claiming without evidence that Haitians lived at the house. The accompanying photo showed a Black man carrying what appeared to be a Canada goose by its feet. That post continued to get shared on social media.

On Monday, Vance posted on X. “Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country. Where is our border czar?” he said. The next day, Vance posted again on X about Springfield, saying his office had received inquires from residents who 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.”

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Other Republicans shared similar posts. Among them was Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who posted a photo of kittens with a caption that said to vote for Trump “So Haitian immigrants don't eat us.”

The former president posted two related photos on his social media site. One Truth Social post was a photo of Trump surrounded by cats and geese. Another featured armed cats wearing MAGA hats.

What do officials in Ohio say?

Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck's office issued a statement knocking the rumors down.

“In response to recent rumors alleging criminal activity by the immigrant population in our city, we wish to clarify that there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community,” Heck's office said in an emailed statement.

What do advocates for Haitian immigrants say?

The posts create a false narrative and could be dangerous for Haitians in the United States, according to Guerline Jozef, founder and executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a group that supports and advocates for immigrants of African descent, AP repoted.

“We are always at the receiving end of all kind of barbaric, inhumane narratives and treatments, specifically when it comes to immigration,” Jozef said in a phone interview.

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Her comments echoed White House national security spokesman John Kirby.

“There will be people that believe it, no matter how ludicrous and stupid it is," Kirby said. “And they might act on that kind of information, and act on it in a way where somebody could get hurt. So it needs to stop.”

What is the broader context of Haitians in Ohio and the United States?

Springfield, Ohio, with a population of approximately 60,000, has experienced growth in its Haitian community in recent years. While the city cannot provide an exact number, it estimates that the entire county's immigrant population is around 15,000.

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The Haitian immigrants in Springfield are legally present under a federal program that offers temporary protection due to unsafe conditions in Haiti. Last month, the Biden administration extended temporary legal status to about 300,000 Haitians in the U.S. because of the dangerous situation in Haiti, where the government has declared a nationwide state of emergency due to severe gang violence.

(With inputs from AP)