Daily life for many Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, has been upended following false claims made by former President Donald Trump and Trump's running mate (and Ohio senator) JD Vance, that Haitian immigrants had been stealing pets and eating them.
The city — located about 45 miles from the capital city of Columbus and with a large Haitian immigrant population — has had to close college campuses, elementary and middle schools and government buildings amid violent threats tied to the baseless claims. An annual event celebrating the city's diversity, has also been canceled citing safety concerns.
"Honestly, I don't feel safe. It's not good right now," Jean-Patrick Louisius, a Haitian immigrant and business owner who moved to Springfield four years ago with his wife and two daughters told the New York Times.
Louisius is part of an influx of about 15,000 Haitian migrants who have moved to Springfield in recent years. The small business owner who opened a small market to sell groceries, give haircuts, and provide money transfers back to Haiti explained how he is not only fearful of his safety, but also of his livelihood.
“I’m not sure if I can stay in business, because people are leaving,” Louisius said.
Other residents in Springfield have voiced concern over conspiracy theories fueled by Trump and Vance, leaving many immigrants to question their place in Springfield.
Claims, threats persist
During the Sept. 10 presidential debate, Trump said he had seen "people on television" claiming their "dog was taken and used for food,'" by immigrants in Springfield, claims that have been widespread among far-right conspiracy theorists since August.
“They’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats,” Trump said during the ABC primetime debate against Vice President Kamala Harris. “They’re eating the pets of the people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country.”
Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck has said there was no credible evidence of pets being harmed or eaten by Haitian immigrants, even as the city has been inundated with threats since the debate.
However, on Sunday, Vance doubled down on the baseless claims, even acknowledging they were false.
"If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people then that's what I'm going to do," Vance told CNN's "State of the Union."
Trump, too, refused to correct the record when asked Friday.
"I can say this. We will do large deportations from Springfield, Ohio, large deportations," he said.
The disruption has continued into this week. On Sunday and Monday, Springfield's Wittenberg University, a private liberal arts college, and Clark State College, a public community college, canceled campus activities and decided to move to remote instruction for those days after receiving threats of violence in connection with the claims.
On Monday, the organizers of CultureFest, the city's popular annual festival scheduled for Sept. 27-28 billed to celebrate "diversity, arts and culture," announced that it was canceling the event, "in light of recent threats and safety concerns."
Haitian migrants are on high alert and fear for their safety
Haitian immigrants make up about a quarter of the city's population of 60,000, largely due to the Department of Homeland Security's Temporary Protected Status, a designation that enabled many Haitians to escape natural disasters and political unrest in Haiti. Local leaders have said that the immigrants are here legally and have contributed positively to the city's economic and development boom.
As immigration to Springfield has increased, public debates have emerged about how the city's resources are equipped to handle the influx of new residents, which has caused a strain on the community.
Hours before the debate, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced he was sending the Ohio State Highway Patrol to assist local law enforcement in handling the surge in traffic issues. The state has also earmarked $2.5 million over two years to provide health care support.
Following the recent threats, however, some Haitian immigrants say they feel compelled to keep a low profile.
Mia Perez, a Haitian immigration lawyer in Springfield, told the Associated Press that her 9-year-old daughter came face to face with the claims in school.
“Kids in school are being asked by other kids: ’How does the dog taste? How does the cat taste?” Perez said. “She’s asking, 'Are we the kind of Haitians who eat this kind of stuff? Is it true? What’s happening?' This is a conversation that I was not ready to have with my daughter,” she continued. “I felt disrespected of our culture.”
"I know a woman whose daughter hasn't gone to school since this happened because at the school the kids are asking her about eating cats and dogs," Sophia Pierrelus, a Haitian American small business owner in Columbus, told the Columbus Dispatch. "They're afraid to go into the street because they feel they may be attacked."
Johnson Salomon, a Haitian immigrant who moved to Springfield in 2020, told the Guardian that he has notice of the sparse presence of Haitians in places in the city where they used to frequent.
“Normally, when I drive through south Springfield, where a lot of Haitians live, you see people walking on the streets, at the Haitian markets and restaurants,” Salmon said. “For the past few days, I have seen far fewer people.”
On Sunday, attendance by Haitians was reportedly low at churches where their congregants are known to have weathered hurricanes to get in.
“They feel the threat. They feel not welcome,” Bernadette Dor, a pastor at the First Haitian Church, told the Associated Press. “Even in the school system sometimes, they feel different, not because of their skin color but because they’re Haitian.”
Casey Rollins, executive director of the Springfield chapter of St. Vincent de Paul Society, a Catholic volunteer organization, said she has received threats that the local branch would be destroyed for supporting Haitian immigrants. Rollins said Haitians have come to the organization looking for work in the community.
“People are messaging me telling me that I’ve destroyed Springfield,” Rollins said. “We’re just trying to help people.”