Vance magnifies false claims about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Ohio

On Monday, GOP vice presidential nominee Senator JD Vance amplified a false claim regarding Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. 

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Vance shared a video from a July Senate Banking Committee hearing where he read a letter from Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck. The letter discussed the city's difficulties in managing housing for the increasing Haitian immigrant population.

Vance used this post to promote an unfounded allegation that Haitian immigrants in Springfield are involved in kidnapping and consuming pets. 

“Months ago, I highlighted concerns about Haitian undocumented immigrants straining social services and causing disruption in Springfield, Ohio,” Vance wrote on X. “Now, reports suggest that these individuals are abducting and eating pets. Where is our border czar?” he added, using a term Republicans have attempted to associate with Vice President Kamala Harris, despite her denying any such role.

On Monday, GOP vice presidential nominee Senator JD Vance amplified a baseless claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are involved in abducting and consuming pets.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Vance shared a video of himself at a July Senate Banking Committee hearing, where he read a letter from Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck. The letter addressed the city's challenges in accommodating the increasing Haitian immigrant population.

In his post, Vance falsely asserted that Haitian immigrants are kidnapping and eating pets in Springfield.

“Months ago, I highlighted concerns about Haitian undocumented immigrants depleting social services and causing disorder in Springfield, Ohio,” Vance wrote on X. “Now, reports indicate that pets have been abducted and eaten by individuals who shouldn’t be in this country. Where is our border czar?” he added, using a term Republicans have associated with Vice President Kamala Harris, despite her denial of such a role.

However, Heck refuted these claims in a statement to ABC News.

“In response to recent rumors about criminal activity by immigrants in our city, we want to clarify that there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed or abused by members of the immigrant community,” Heck said. “Additionally, there have been no verified instances of immigrants engaging in illegal activities such as squatting, littering, or disrupting traffic.”

The Springfield Police Department has also reported no incidents of pets being stolen or harmed.

The false narrative about immigrants targeting pets originated from a Facebook post in a Springfield group, which claimed, without evidence, that a neighbor’s cat was taken by Haitians for food. This unverified claim gained traction on social media, with figures like right-wing activist Charlie Kirk and Elon Musk sharing it.

Springfield has been the focal point of various rumors about Haitian immigrants. The city even established a webpage to debunk some of these claims. According to the city, immigrants have been attracted to the region due to its low cost of living and job opportunities. The city estimates that there are between 12,000 and 15,000 immigrants in the county, and the rapid population growth has put a strain on housing, healthcare, and school resources. Many of these immigrants are legally in the country and hold Temporary Protected Status.

On Monday, Ohio Attorney General David Yost announced that his office is exploring legal options to address what he describes as an unsustainable influx of migrants. Yost stated that the issue is not the migrants themselves but the rapid increase in their numbers without adequate federal support.

“The problem is not the migrants; it’s the overwhelming number of migrants in a short period of time,” Yost said. “The issue is a massive population increase without proper communication or assistance from the federal government.”