SPRINGFIELD, CMC – Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance has doubled down on false rumors about Haitian immigrants eating the pets of their neighbors in Springfield, Ohio.
“The American media ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I started talking about cat memes. Suppose I have to create stories so that the American media pays attention to the suffering of the American people. In that case, that’s what I’m going to do,” Vance, a US senator from Ohio, told US media.
“It comes from firsthand accounts from my constituents. We’re creating a story, making the American media focus on it. I didn’t create 20,000 illegal migrants coming into Springfield thanks to Kamala Harris’ policies. Her policies did that.
“But yes, we created the actual focus that allowed the American media to talk about this story and the suffering caused by Kamala Harris’ policies,” he said, dismissing the repercussions of his false allegations.
“There is nothing that I have said that has led to threats against these hospitals, these hospitals, the bomb threats, and so forth. The Springfield mayor is dealing with a lot of terrible things. I sympathize with the guy, and we will try to help him. But he did not accuse me of inciting a bomb threat. He just didn’t.
“All that I’ve done is surface the complaints of my constituents, people suffering because of Kamala Harris’ policies. Are we not allowed to talk about these problems because some psychopaths are threatening violence?” he asked.
Vance claimed that his constituents have brought to his attention “a dozen separate concerns,” which, he said, are “verifiable and confirmable, and a couple of them I talk about because my constituents are telling me firsthand that they see these things.
“So, I have two options: I can ignore them, which is what the American media has done for years for this community, or I can talk about what people are telling me,” he said.
“My attitude is to listen to my constituents. Sometimes, they’re going to say things that people don’t like, but they’re saying things that people don’t like because their town has been overwhelmed, and it’s my job to try to fight for them and to protect them.” Vance added.
But Springfield Mayor Rob Rue urged Vance and other Republican politicians spreading false rumors about Haitian immigrants to understand “the weight of their words,” stating that the city is undergoing “a tough time.
“We have been shined under a spotlight that is so bright that it’s hard to see some of the things that we need to be focusing on, and that’s been difficult for sure,” he said.
“We’re concerned about the security in our community, and we’re focused on that right now,” Rue added.
At the same time, Ohio Republic Governor Mike DeWine dismissed the false stories about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, instead lauding their work ethic.
“No. Not,” he said in response to evidence of Haitian immigrants eating pets.
“Let me tell you what we do know, though. What we know is that the Haitians who are in Springfield are legal. They came to Springfield to work.”
On Friday, the Springfield woman behind an early Facebook post spreading false rumors about Haitian immigrants eating local pets said she has no concrete evidence of such an incident and that she was regretful and fearful about the damaging repercussions, according to NBC TV news.
“It just exploded into something I didn’t mean to happen,” Erika Lee told the network. “I’m not a racist. “Everybody seems to be turning it into that, and that was not my intent.
“I feel for the Haitian community,” added Lee, who has since removed the post. “If I were in the Haitians’ position, I’d be terrified, too, worried that somebody’s going to come after me because they think I’m hurting something that they love and that, again, that’s not what I was trying to do.”
NBC reported that Lee said she had posted on Facebook about a neighbor’s cat that went missing and that the neighbor had told her that “she thought the cat was the victim of an attack by her Haitian neighbors.”
“I didn’t think it would ever get past Springfield,” Lee said.
On Friday, New York City Council Member Farah N. Louis strongly condemned the spread of false right-wing rhetoric, including by former US President Donald J. Trump and his Vice President running mate JD Vance, targeting Haitian migrants and further escalating tensions and spreading misinformation.
The threats come amid bomb threats that have disrupted Springfield, Ohio schools.
Last Friday, two elementary schools were evacuated, and a middle school was closed in Springfield, Ohio, causing significant disruption to families and children.
“No community should have to endure this kind of terror, xenophobia, and racism,” Louis, the daughter of Haitian and Bahamian immigrants, who represents the 45th Council District in Brooklyn, New York, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
“I stand in solidarity with the people of Springfield as they navigate this alarming incident. These threats, fueled by hateful, disparaging, and baseless lies against the Haitian immigrant community, are a direct result of dangerous rhetoric that has no place in our society,” she added.
“JD Vance and former President Donald Trump have both proven they prioritize their interests and dirty politics over the well-being of this country, showing themselves to be a disgrace to our democracy. Their comments have incited fear and jeopardized innocent lives,” Louis added.
“If anyone is harmed due to their irresponsible and disgusting remarks, they must be held accountable. As a Haitian-American, it deeply saddens me to see such fearmongering lead to real consequences for innocent people.
“We must come together as a nation to reject hate and focus on unity, ensuring that no one is targeted or vilified based on falsehoods. I call on all Americans to stand against this wave of divisive and dangerous rhetoric. Haitians endured such hostility in the past, and we cannot allow history to repeat itself. We must focus on healing and protecting our communities, not tearing them apart.”
Last week, Caribbean-American legislators also strongly denounced what they described as an anti-immigrant disinformation campaign surrounding Haitian migrants.
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