Americans allege Haitian migrants are consuming cats
Donald Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, has reported that his office has received accounts of migrants kidnapping and consuming pets. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The White House has dismissed what it describes as “racist conspiracy theories” amid controversy surrounding President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, particularly regarding Haitian migrants.
A strange rumor alleging that Haitian migrants are engaging in the murder and consumption of pet cats in Ohio has surfaced. The specifics of the rumor’s origin are unclear, but recent videos of local council meetings shared on X reveal residents of Springfield, Ohio, raising concerns about littering, violence, and drug-related activities attributed to the town's approximately 20,000 Haitian migrants. Among the complaints were several instances of pets and local wildlife, such as ducks and geese, reportedly being abducted and killed.
In a post on X this past Monday, Ohio Senator and vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance claimed that his office had received reports suggesting “people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country.”
Over the last three years, around 20,000 Haitians have settled in Springfield, a town with a population of just under 60,000. The town's official website clarifies that these migrants “are here legally, under the Immigration Parole Program” and can apply for Temporary Protected Status, which allows them to live and work in the country for up to 18 months without fear of deportation.
In June, the White House announced an extension of Temporary Protected Status to over 309,000 Haitian migrants currently residing in the U.S., in addition to approximately 200,000 who had been granted this status in previous years. Vice President Kamala Harris, designated by Biden to lead his border policy, contended in 2021 that these migrants “need support, [and] need protection.”
During a press briefing on Tuesday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby dismissed Vance’s assertion as a “conspiracy theory…based on an element of racism.” Meanwhile, the Springfield Police Division stated that it had received no reports of “specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community” nor any incidents of “members of the immigrant community overturning vehicles or disrupting traffic.” Additionally, there were no claims of “squatting, littering or making threats in front of residents’ homes.”
Nevertheless, FBI crime statistics indicate a staggering 242% increase in violent crime in Springfield since the arrival of large numbers of Haitian migrants beginning in 2021. A particularly notable incident involved a Haitian migrant who, driving without a valid license, killed an 11-year-old boy by slamming his minivan into a school bus last year, resulting in the injury of an additional 20 children. The migrant was subsequently convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
Vance addressed the situation on Tuesday, stating, “It’s possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false. Do you know what’s confirmed? That a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant who had no right to be here. That local health services have been overwhelmed. That communicable diseases – like TB and HIV – have been on the rise.”
The Republican Party has capitalized on the rumor to criticize Harris. Texas Senator Ted Cruz posted on X, “Please vote for Trump so Haitian immigrants don’t eat us,” accompanying the message with an image of frightened house cats. In another post, Republicans from the House Judiciary Committee stated, “Protect our ducks and kittens in Ohio,” featuring an AI-generated image of Donald Trump hugging a duck and a kitten.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
A strange rumor alleging that Haitian migrants are engaging in the murder and consumption of pet cats in Ohio has surfaced. The specifics of the rumor’s origin are unclear, but recent videos of local council meetings shared on X reveal residents of Springfield, Ohio, raising concerns about littering, violence, and drug-related activities attributed to the town's approximately 20,000 Haitian migrants. Among the complaints were several instances of pets and local wildlife, such as ducks and geese, reportedly being abducted and killed.
In a post on X this past Monday, Ohio Senator and vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance claimed that his office had received reports suggesting “people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country.”
Over the last three years, around 20,000 Haitians have settled in Springfield, a town with a population of just under 60,000. The town's official website clarifies that these migrants “are here legally, under the Immigration Parole Program” and can apply for Temporary Protected Status, which allows them to live and work in the country for up to 18 months without fear of deportation.
In June, the White House announced an extension of Temporary Protected Status to over 309,000 Haitian migrants currently residing in the U.S., in addition to approximately 200,000 who had been granted this status in previous years. Vice President Kamala Harris, designated by Biden to lead his border policy, contended in 2021 that these migrants “need support, [and] need protection.”
During a press briefing on Tuesday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby dismissed Vance’s assertion as a “conspiracy theory…based on an element of racism.” Meanwhile, the Springfield Police Division stated that it had received no reports of “specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community” nor any incidents of “members of the immigrant community overturning vehicles or disrupting traffic.” Additionally, there were no claims of “squatting, littering or making threats in front of residents’ homes.”
Nevertheless, FBI crime statistics indicate a staggering 242% increase in violent crime in Springfield since the arrival of large numbers of Haitian migrants beginning in 2021. A particularly notable incident involved a Haitian migrant who, driving without a valid license, killed an 11-year-old boy by slamming his minivan into a school bus last year, resulting in the injury of an additional 20 children. The migrant was subsequently convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
Vance addressed the situation on Tuesday, stating, “It’s possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false. Do you know what’s confirmed? That a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant who had no right to be here. That local health services have been overwhelmed. That communicable diseases – like TB and HIV – have been on the rise.”
The Republican Party has capitalized on the rumor to criticize Harris. Texas Senator Ted Cruz posted on X, “Please vote for Trump so Haitian immigrants don’t eat us,” accompanying the message with an image of frightened house cats. In another post, Republicans from the House Judiciary Committee stated, “Protect our ducks and kittens in Ohio,” featuring an AI-generated image of Donald Trump hugging a duck and a kitten.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
