Trump highlights Ohio town’s mass immigration
During the ABC news debate on September 10, 2024, former president Donald Trump said, “In Springfield they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
Trump’s comments were in reference to recent claims that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio have been eating the pets of the town’s residents.
Trump’s claims come amidst the influx of twenty thousand Haitian migrants to the town of Springfield (pre-influx population of sixty thousand) since 2020. Technically, these migrants entered the U.S. legally under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), an asylum designation which grants recipients work permits and residency for 18 months.
In December 2022, however, the Biden administration extended the TPS status of Haitians for an additional 18 months. On top of this, the administration initiated the CHNV parole program in January 2023, allowing migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the U.S. legally. Since the creation of this program, a total of 151,000 Haitians have entered the country.
Trump’s comments generated reactions on both sides of the aisle, with Democrats and liberal journalists widely condemning the former president’s rhetoric as racist. Speaking from the White House lawn, President Biden suggested that Trump’s comments have placed the Haitian American community “under attack,” proclaiming that Trump’s rhetoric “has to stop.”
While the reactions of Republican politicians have been mixed, Trump’s running mate J. D. Vance defended the former president’s comments in a September 10 post on X (formerly Twitter): “Do you know what’s confirmed? That a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant who had no right to be here. That local health services have been overwhelmed … that local schools have struggled to keep up with newcomers who don’t know English. That rents have risen so fast that many Springfield families can’t afford to put a roof over their head.”
Springfield has provided a test case for the effects of mass migration on communities with minimal history of immigration, and Trump’s comments during the debate placed the town at the center of national immigration debate. The debate has also led to varying reactions from American Christians. While Catholic J. D. Vance expressed support for the former president’s comments, evangelical leader Russell Moore stated that “the … lying about Haitian immigrant families is satanic to the core.”
Students on campus have also weighed in on the relevance of the case of Springfield to the broader immigration debate. A senior in Sorin asserted, “The influx of Haitians into the heartland of the United States, along with the defense of these migrants by some Republicans such as Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, shows the American people that our leaders do not care about American identity. We deserve leadership that puts our identity, values, and people first.”
A senior in Duncan Hall echoed the student’s sentiments, stating that “Springfield, Ohio has been virtually terraformed into a miniature Haiti, a veritable nightmare for most Americans.”
The student continued, “Rather than acknowledge the situation for what it is—an existential threat—the United States is forced to swallow its ambitions and accept the degradation of their own citizens’ well-being. This is unacceptable. It is in no way charitable.”
Indeed, there is tangible evidence that this type of mass migration has harmed the Springfield community—in late August of this year, eleven-year-old Springfield resident Aiden Clark was killed by a Haitian migrant.
Some students, however, took an opposing view. A junior in Alumni Hall told the Rover that “Donald Trump’s statements are unsubstantiated and racist.”
“The Haitian immigrants came here legally and have contributed significantly to Springfield through their hard work and unique culture. They’re as American as anyone else. For years Republicans said they only opposed illegal immigration. Now they’re showing their true colors, demonizing legal residents,” the student continued.
Regardless of the ultimate validity of Trump’s claims, the incident has undoubtedly increased the nation’s attention on the effects of mass immigration. The media has also shown a newfound interest in middle-American towns like Springfield, a change in tone that did not go unnoticed by Vance:
“They have ignored this town’s problems for years. Now, they pay attention—not to focus their considerable wealth and power on helping their fellow citizens, but to use their platform as a weapon against those who dare to notice that their lives have gotten worse.”
Notre Dame College Democrats did not respond to a request for comment.
Eric Gordy is a junior studying political science and economics. For inquiries about his favorite foods, he can be reached at egordy@nd.edu.
Photo Credit: PBS
