Ohio Rumors of Haitian Migrants Abducting Pets Spark Immigration Controversy

A rumor circulating in Ohio about Haitian migrants allegedly killing and eating pets has raised concerns over President Joe Biden's immigration policies. The rumor has implicated vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance, who amplified the claims.

The origins of the rumor are unclear, but videos from local council meetings in Springfield, Ohio, posted on X over the weekend, show residents voicing concerns over littering, violence, and drug activity in the town, home to approximately 20,000 Haitian migrants. Several residents also claimed that household pets and wildlife, such as ducks and geese, were being abducted and killed.

In a post on X on Monday, Ohio Senator and vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance stated that his office had received reports of pets being “abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country.”

Springfield, a town with a population of just under 60,000, has seen an influx of around 20,000 Haitian migrants over the past three years. According to the town’s website, these migrants are legally present under the Immigration Parole Program and are eligible to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), allowing them to live and work in the US for up to 18 months.

In June, the Biden administration announced that more than 309,000 Haitian migrants living in the US would be granted TPS, in addition to 200,000 who had already received the designation in previous years. Vice President Kamala Harris, who leads the Biden administration's border policy, stated in 2021 that these migrants "need support and protection."

On Tuesday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby dismissed Vance's claims, labeling them a "conspiracy theory" with "an element of racism." The Springfield Police Division also stated they had not received any reports of pets being harmed by members of the immigrant community. Additionally, they denied receiving complaints about other disruptive behaviors attributed to the migrants.

However, FBI statistics show that violent crime in Springfield has surged by 242% since the arrival of large numbers of Haitian migrants in 2021. In one notable case, a Haitian migrant without a valid driver's license killed an 11-year-old boy in a school bus accident last year, injuring 20 other children. The migrant was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

“It’s possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false,” Vance said on Tuesday regarding the alleged animal killings. “What is confirmed is that a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant who had no right to be here, local health services have been overwhelmed, and communicable diseases like TB and HIV have been on the rise.”

The rumor has also sparked political attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris. Texas Senator Ted Cruz posted on X, “Please vote for Trump so Haitian immigrants don’t eat us,” accompanied by an image of cowering cats. The House Judiciary Committee’s Republicans shared a separate post featuring an AI-generated image of Donald Trump hugging a duck and kitten, with the caption, “Protect our ducks and kittens in Ohio.”