On Monday, Ohio Sen. JD Vance addressed claims that Haitian immigrants in a town in his home state are abducting and consuming resident’s pets.
“Months ago, I raised the issue of Haitian illegal immigrants draining social services and generally causing chaos all over Springfield, Ohio,” Vance tweeted.
“Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country,'” he said in reference to the rumors. “Where is our border czar?”
In a video he included in the post, Vance was shown at a July Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing, reading a letter from Springfield city manager Bryan Heck.
Months ago, I raised the issue of Haitian illegal immigrants draining social services and generally causing chaos all over Springfield, Ohio.
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? pic.twitter.com/rf0EDIeI5i
— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 9, 2024
Heck wrote about the city’s struggles to provide housing for a rapidly rising Haitian immigrant population.
“Springfield has seen a surge in population through immigration that has significantly impacted our ability as a community to produce enough housing opportunities for all,” Vance read out loud.
“Springfield’s Haitian community has increased by 15,000 to 20,000 over the last four years in a community of under 60,000 previous residents.”
The rumors about animals being snatched and eaten by migrants went wild after an Aug. 27 Springfield City Commission meeting.
Springfield resident Anthony Harris claimed that Haitian immigrants were causing chaos and killing ducks in the park to eat.
“I really challenge you guys to get out here and do something,” he urged the meeting in a viral video.
“These Haitians are running into trash cans, running into buildings… they’re flipping cars in the middle of the streets,” he added.
“They’re in the park, grabbing ducks by their neck, and cutting their heads off and walking off with them. They’re eating them,” Harris noted.
The rumors were denied by the Springfield Police Division who stated that they had not gotten any reports of immigrants abducting and eating the pets of residents.
A sentiment the City of Springfield echoed in a statement the same day.
“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,” the city said.
In response to the video of Harris, a crop of AI-generated images of former President Donald Trump saving animals have appeared on social media.
🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/96vvZhvuSv
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 9, 2024
“President Trump will deport migrants who eat pets,” Trump’s campaign tweeted on Monday. “Kamala Harris will send them to your town next. Make your choice, America.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) got in on the gag with a meme featuring terrified cats, which was captioned, “Please vote for Trump so Haitian immigrants don’t eat us.”
The House Judiciary Committee Republicans’ social media account tweeted an image of Trump holding a duck, which was captioned, “protect our ducks and kittens in Ohio!”
A spokesperson for Vance responded to the GOP vice presidential candidate’s Monday tweet in a statement to The Hill.
“Senator Vance has received a high volume of calls and emails over the past several weeks from concerned citizens in Springfield: his tweet is based on what he is hearing from them,” the spokesperson began.
Protect our ducks and kittens in Ohio! pic.twitter.com/YnTZStPnsg
— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) September 9, 2024
“The city has faced an influx of 15,000-20,000 Haitian migrants over the past four years, stressing public resources and leading to housing shortages, all thanks to Kamala Harris’s policy of extending temporary protected status designations.”
The statement also added that “many” Ohio residents have contacted Vance to voice their concerns about the skyrocketing crime rates in the state.
“They no longer feel safe in their own homes,” the spokesperson concluded. “Unlike the liberal media, JD takes his constituents’ concerns seriously.”
The Biden administration included Haiti in the Temporary Protected Status program in June, which allowed an influx of 309,000 Haitians to come to the United States under the designation.
