In the heart of Ohio, where the rust of old steel mills mingles with the evergreen fields of family farms, a new kind of narrative is quietly spreading: that Democrats are orchestrating a plan to bring undocumented immigrants into the country to secure future votes.
The idea, fueled by the rhetoric of Republicans like Senator JD Vance and former President Donald J. Trump, is more than just a conspiracy theory—it’s a vision of America under siege, where borders are porous and the nation’s very identity is at stake. Vance, in particular, has made this claim a cornerstone of his political messaging, using it to rally supporters with warnings of a “foreign invasion” that threatens to upend the country’s democratic foundations.
But beyond the fiery speeches and dramatic warnings lies a more complicated truth. Demographers and experts in population studies have consistently found no evidence to support the idea that undocumented immigrants are being brought into the country to vote, let alone that such a strategy could be orchestrated by Democrats on a national scale. The logistics alone strain credibility—envisioning a vast conspiracy where officials, infrastructure, and legal systems are all manipulated to allow undocumented immigrants not only to enter the country but to settle and cast ballots, legally or not.
Despite the lack of evidence, the narrative persists, particularly in places like Ohio where economic and demographic shifts have left some voters feeling uneasy about the future. In communities once dominated by the steel industry, where job losses have hit hard and the opioid crisis has left scars, the idea of a government plot to change the country’s demographics finds a receptive audience. For many, it’s not just about immigration; it’s about a sense of loss, of something being taken away.
JD Vance has skillfully tapped into these sentiments, using his platform to amplify fears and paint a picture of a country under attack from within. At recent rallies, he has gone so far as to suggest that Vice President Kamala Harris would grant every undocumented immigrant the right to vote. Vance’s rhetoric, particularly his use of language that echoes the “great replacement” theory—a concept linked to several mass shootings—has raised alarms among those who see it as not just divisive, but dangerous.
It is hardly surprising that Mr. Vance has responded negatively to criticism of his statements, claiming he has no animosity against immigrants. Speaking about his wife Usha Vance, whose parents are from India, he declared last month on a radio broadcast, “Obviously, I’m married to the daughter of immigrants.”
But the power of his claims lies not in their truth. Rather, in their ability to resonate with voters who are already primed to distrust the system. In Ohio, interviews with dozens of voters reveal a deep well of skepticism about the integrity of the electoral process. Many of these voters are older, white, and fearful of the changing face of their communities, where the Latino population has grown in recent years and where economic recovery has been uneven at best.
In places like Medina and Niles, where the shadows of closed factories loom large, the conspiracy theory about immigrant voting isn’t just a talking point—it’s become a lens through which to view broader concerns about the country’s direction. And even among those who don’t fully buy into the conspiracy, there’s a sense that something is amiss. “For me, Democrats are crooked, and they’re stooping to all sorts of ways to try to stay in office,” claims Phil Syverson, a Republican from Cleveland.
Yet, for all the noise, there are those who see the dangers in this rhetoric. Younger voters, in particular, are less swayed by the idea that immigrants are being used as pawns in a political game. They recognize the demographic shifts in Ohio for what they are—a natural evolution of a state that has always been a melting pot of cultures and communities. And they see in Vance’s words a divisiveness that threatens to tear at the fabric of a state that has long prided itself on its resilience.
