The Haitian community in Ohio, particularly in cities like Springfield, has lately become a focus for division and hateful rhetoric. The latest volley of absurd accusations made by the Republican vice-presidential candidate, JD Vance, is that Haitians steal and eat their neighbors’ pets. “In the last several weeks, my office has received many inquiries from actual residents of Springfield who’ve said Haitian migrants abducted their neighbors’ pets or local wildlife,” Vance posted on X.
Donald Trump took up this accusation in his nationally televised debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday evening. “In Springfield they are eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
Since 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Springfield has welcomed approximately 15,000 Haitian immigrants, legally admitted into the country and relocated there. They have added to the city’s diversity and addressed labor shortages–—mostly in blue collar sectors. The state government, recognizing the importance of this growing community, has allocated resources to ensure their successful integration and address the challenges that come with such a demographic shift. Like many other communities that have welcomed asylum seekers and refugees from wars or economic strife, the Haitians have been welcomed and their contributions acknowledged. But the local sentiment has been inflamed by the recent media scrutiny.
Finding themselves in the eye of the media storm, local residents—Haitians and non-Haitians, have responded.
Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck, through his office, released a statement saying there’s no evidence of any cats or other pets being harmed or eaten by the Haitian immigrants. There is however, a lot of talk about ducks and geese being slaughtered for food.
The USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau reached out to the Haitian community to gather their thoughts and feelings on the current controversy.
Alimemby Estimable, 19, graduated from Springfield High School and works at an Amazon warehouse. He has lived in Springfield for four years. In his time there he has been called a “dirty Haitian” and an “illegal.” Estimable was puzzled by the accusation of Haitians being illegal. “The majority of us, we work in warehouses, factories. You can’t work there illegally. Obviously, we’re legally working,” he said.
Estimable said, “I’ve been seeing a lot of people talking about a lot of stuff that’s not accurate. You know, saying, like, all Haitians are cutting ducks’ necks and eating them at the park and like, they’re running into trash cans and homes and stuff. I ain’t never seen a Haitian do that before. I’m just keep it real, because I’m a Haitian myself,” he said.
Sentiment from local non-Haitian residents is mixed. Teena Rose said she feels “negatively” about the increased Haitian population in Springfield and that the city was not prepared. She underlines that the city was already struggling with housing and homelessness before more Haitians moved there. Negative feelings have been exacerbated by the 2023 death of 11-year-old Aiden Clark in a crash between a school bus and a minivan driven by a Haitian immigrant.
However, Joe Ruck, Co-owner of Champion City Cuts, says the opposite. According to him, Springfield needed a bigger population; houses sat empty in the city for decades. Ruck grew up in Springfield and said Haitian immigrants are working the jobs and living in the houses that no one else wanted.
Ruck suggests that the Haitian population is being scapegoated out of frustration. They don’t hate Haitians, he says, they’re frustrated by what an increased population has meant for Springfield, with increased rent and house prices and demand for products and food in grocery stores.
Ruck said, “Someone’s cat comes up missing? They gonna say the Haitians did it.”
Predictably, News Nation’s Rich McHugh has a different take on the division, saying that the immigration crisis is affecting the entire town as crime, accidents and unemployment have surged since thousands of Haitians have moved in. McHugh tells “On Balance” that, though the claims of Haitians grabbing people’s pets for food are unsubstantiated, longtime residents are indeed upset, and he fears that the discontent may escalate into violence. Numerous videos show residents complaining about the disappearance of ducks and geese.
The community is split. While Rose is not happy about the inclusion of the Haitians, others are doing their best to promote harmony and integration. The Southgate branch of the Clark County Public Library system has a French language section for Haitian patrons. Branch manager Tangee Hepp, manager of that branch, goes to the Haitian Coalition meetings for Clark County every month. She said the library is beginning to consider programming to better serve Haitian patrons.
“Everyone deserves respect and dignity, and not just from a library standpoint, just being here as a citizen of Clark County and a citizen of Ohio. Just treat everyone with respect and give them some time. They’re just trying to make a life for themselves,” she said.
