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Fast Take
Springfield, Ohio, has been the goal of misinformation about its Haitian immigrant inhabitants. Conservative commentators at the moment are falsely claiming the mayor traveled to Haiti and he and different metropolis officers acquired “kick-backs” for “importing” immigrants to Springfield. The mayor advised us he has by no means been to Haiti nor has he acquired any “kickbacks.”
Full Story
Former President Donald Trump has unfold misinformation about immigrants and asylum seekers crossing the U.S. border over the previous a number of years. In the course of the Sept. 10 presidential debate, as we wrote, Trump made the baseless claim that Haitian immigrants dwelling in Springfield, Ohio, are “consuming the canine … They’re consuming the cats. They’re consuming the pets of the folks that stay there.”
Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, the Republican vice presidential nominee, additionally claimed on X that there had been reviews of Haitians consuming folks’s pets in Springfield. As well as, Vance made an unfounded declare that immigrants had been liable for an 81% enhance in murders in Springfield, as we’ve written.
Springfield has skilled an inflow of immigrants who legally entered the country and moved to the town over the previous few years. The city estimates about 12,000 to fifteen,000 immigrants now stay in Ohio’s Clark County, the place Springfield is situated. Of that group, an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 are Haitian, based on the county’s well being commissioner, CNN reported.
However the political discourse has prompted accounts on social media to espouse conspiracies to elucidate the immigration inflow.
The conservative podcast Chicks on the Proper posted a screenshot from a Sept. 12 post on X by former Fox Information host Andrea Tantaros. With out offering any proof, Tantaros claimed, “The Mayor of Springfield, OH has made a number of journeys to Haiti. He, and your complete Metropolis Council, acquired monetary kick-backs for importing $20,000+ unlawful aliens. Its why they ignore the pleas of residents. Nationwide, politicians are taking advantage of mass unlawful migration.”
The Chicks on the Proper Instagram submit acquired greater than 28,000 likes.
Neither Chicks on the Proper nor Andrea Tantaros responded to our requests for data to help their claims.
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue advised us in an emailed assertion: “I’ve by no means been to Haiti and I’ve by no means acquired monetary ‘kick backs’ and even [been] concerned with the transportation of immigrants into our metropolis and even the US.”
Requested in a cellphone interview if he or the town of Springfield ever acquired any funding, grants or cash associated to bringing new Haitian residents to the town, Rue stated: “No, completely not.”
Rue advised us he spoke earlier this 12 months with Republican Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio concerning the want for federal funding that will enable the town to “reinforce” its infrastructure on account of “a fast enhance” of its inhabitants. The mayor stated the town is searching for further help for its hospitals, faculty system, public security forces, and infrastructure to accommodate the brand new residents, together with further translation help.
Rue stated the town was not in search of a “bailout” or a per-resident payment when it requested for assist. “We simply want to have the ability to talk with the people who’re right here and for the infrastructure,” he stated.
After Springfield was thrust into the nationwide highlight by Trump and Vance, the town additionally requested Turner and different federal officers for added funding to pay for elevated safety and police extra time to safe its faculties, Rue advised us. The false claims concerning the Haitian immigrants sparked a collection of bomb threats that led to evacuations and the closing of metropolis faculties.
Rue stated as a part-time mayor — who earns $14,680 yearly — he doesn’t have the power to affect whether or not immigrants ought to transfer to the town, and even hold observe of who’s coming. “No native authorities has that type of management. That’s not the way it works,” he stated.
On its web site, the town says, “No authorities entity is liable for the inflow of Haitians into Clark County. As soon as an individual with Non permanent Protected Standing enters the nation, they’re free to find wherever they select.”
Solely Congress is permitted to put in writing legal guidelines affecting immigration, and the president has broad authorized authority to regulate how immigration laws are enforced. Federal companies together with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Division of State, and Citizenship and Immigration Companies have the authority to implement immigration legal guidelines, or allow immigrants or overseas guests to stay and work within the U.S.
Rue hasn’t acquired any marketing campaign contributions since 2021, when he ran for reelection to the town fee and acquired 13 donations, ranging between $50 and $500 every, totaling $2,750, largely from Springfield residents, based on his campaign filings with the Clark County Board of Elections.
Rue stated so far as he’s conscious, nobody from the town supervisor’s workplace or the town fee – which is analogous to a metropolis council — has been to Haiti both.
Bridget Houston, a metropolis commissioner, advised us in an emailed assertion responding to the social media claims: “Mayor Rue has by no means been to Haiti. Moreover, none of us ever have, or are at present receiving any monetary kickbacks.”
“There was no ‘importing’ immigrants as properly — we’re a metropolis and can’t management our bodily border and can’t management who lives or visits right here. In truth, our Federal allotted {dollars} have gone down 12 months over 12 months. Many of the Haitians dwelling in Springfield do have Federal paperwork as properly that enable them to be right here. Final, I’ll add that we’re additionally required by the State of Ohio to bear fraud coaching yearly, and need to disclose all investments to the State of Ohio as properly,” Houston stated.
Editor’s notice: FactCheck.org is one among a number of organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our earlier tales may be discovered here. Fb has no control over our editorial content material.
Sources
Astor, Maggie. “Trump Doubles Down on Migrants ‘Poisoning’ the Country.” New York Occasions. 17 Mar 2024.
Brewster, Shaquille, Peter Shaw and Daniella Silva. “Springfield children ‘fearful’ amid dozens of bomb threats after false migrant rumors.” NBC Information. 19 Sep 2024.
Catalini, Mike, Julie Carr Smyth and Bruce Shipkowski. “Trump falsely accuses immigrants in Ohio of abducting and eating pets.” Related Press. 11 Sep 2024.
Metropolis of Springfield. “Immigration FAQs.” Accessed 30 Sep 2024.
Clark County Board of Elections. “Campaign Finance Committee Information.” Accessed: 27 Sep 2024.
Forrest, Vicky. “Springfield mayor: Investigation into businesses, immigration continues.” Springfield Information Solar. 12 Jul 2024.
Houston, Bridget. Metropolis commissioner, Springfield, Ohio. E-mail to FactCheck.org. 30 Sep 2024.
Kiely, Eugene, et al. “FactChecking the Harris-Trump Debate.” FactCheck.org. 11 Sep 2024.
Kiely, Eugene. “Vance’s Misleading Claim About Immigrants and Murders in Springfield, Ohio.” FactCheck.org. 20 Sep 2024.
Nationwide Immigration Regulation Heart. “The President’s Broad Legal Authority to Act on Immigration.” 20 Aug 2014.
Rue, Rob. Mayor, Springfield, Ohio. E-mail and cellphone interview with FactCheck.org. 27 Sep 2024.
Shoichet, Catherine E. “‘Why Springfield?’ How a small Ohio city became home for thousands of Haitians.” CNN. 19 Sep 2024.
Thomas, Merlyn and Mike Wendling. “Trump repeats baseless claim about Haitian immigrants eating pets.” BBC. 15 Sep 2024.
