Trump and Vance Spread Racist Hoax That Haitian Immigrants Are Eating Pets in Springfield, Ohio

During the September 10, 2024 presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, Donald Trump repeats a social media hoax claiming that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are "eating the dogs, eating the cats, eating the pets of the people that live there." The Springfield Police Department and city officials have already publicly stated they have received no credible reports of such incidents. Republican vice-presidential nominee J.D. Vance admitted in a text message to a journalist days earlier that the claims were unverified but chose to amplify them to "generate media coverage." Springfield, Ohio has received approximately 12,000–15,000 Haitian immigrants, many on Temporary Protected Status, who largely work in local manufacturing and meatpacking plants. Following the debate, Springfield receives dozens of bomb threats targeting schools and city offices, forcing evacuations. The Haitian community reports a surge in harassment and threats. Republican governors in Georgia and Tennessee offer to send National Guard troops to a city that has not requested them.