Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) admitted that his claim alleging that Haitian migrants are killing and eating pets might be false but urged his supporters to keep spreading it anyway.
On Monday Vance, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, amplified the viral claim, writing in a post on X that he had previously raised the issue of Haitian immigrants “causing chaos all over Springfield, Ohio” adding, “Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country.”
Other prominent right wing figures, including Elon Musk and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX.) also promoted the claim on the platform.
But, Springfield Police Division and the City of Springfield both released statements saying they had no reports of any such incidents.
“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 Springfield Police Division said in a statement.
Leann Castillo, executive director for the Clark County Park District, said there has been “no evidence or reports” of people eating pets or wildlife in Clark County parks.
“People have contacted us to inquire, but we do not have any knowledge of this taking place,” Castillo said.
In a post on Tuesday, Vance admitted that it is “possible” that “these rumors will turn out to be false,” but still encourage his followers to continue promoting the debunked claim.
“In the last several weeks, my office has received many inquiries from actual residents of Springfield who’ve 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,” Vance wrote.
“Do you know what’s confirmed? That a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant who had no right to be here,” he continued. “That local health services have been overwhelmed. That communicable diseases–like TB and HIV–have been on the rise. That local schools have struggled to keep up with newcomers who don’t know English. That rents have risen so fast that many Springfield families can’t afford to put a roof over their head.”
“In short, don’t let the crybabies in the media dissuade you, fellow patriots. Keep the cat memes flowing,” he added.
Springfield, Ohio has seen a large increase in migrants arriving in the past few years under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program.
According to Springfield police, between 12,000 and 15,000 Haitians live in the city legally under TPS.
“This is the same old anti-Black playbook that we’ve seen for hundreds of years in Ohio being rolled out to divide and create hate, especially around election times,” Erik Crew, staff attorney at the Haitian Bridge Alliance told The Hill.
In addition to debunking the claim about Haitian migrants eating pets, Springfield police also said “there have been no verified instances of immigrants engaging in illegal activities such as squatting or littering in front of residents’ homes. Furthermore, no reports have been made regarding members of the immigrant community deliberately disrupting traffic.”
