How an influx of Haitian immigrants turned Springfield into a campaign flashpoint

>> Good morning, everybody. Watch morning rush. I'm Robin else. I'm Alex Livingston Jace Sternberger. Perhaps the most talked about moment and Tuesday's presidential debate was Donald Trump's claim that Haitian immigrants in the small town of Springfield, Ohio, are abducting and literally eating their neighbor's dogs and cats and other pets. That claim has been debunked by city officials several times in Springfield, but animosity toward the thousands of Haitians who have settled in the city. >> Is very real. It stems in part from a traffic accident last year in which a minivan driver by many assume a minivan driven by a Haitian man struck a school bus killing an 11 year-old boy. Now the boy's parents are demanding the Trump and other quote, morally bankrupt politicians stop spreading hate in the name of their son. Aidan. Take a listen. >> I wish that my son Aiden Clark. Was killed by a 60 year-old white man. I bet you never thought anyone ever say some things. So. But it's that guy killed my 11 year-old son. The incessant group of hate. Spearing people would leave us alone. >> Nathan Clark appeared at a city commission meeting rebutting other Springfield residents who have complained about patients in their community since Aiden's death last year, Clark singled out Trump and his running mate, JD Vance and 2 other politicians who have, quote, spoken my son's name and used his death for political gain. He added they are not allowed nor have they ever been allowed to mention agent Clark from Springfield, Ohio. And estimated 15,000 patients have legally immigrated to Springfield in recent years drawn by plentiful manufacturing jobs in a town where the population has gone down. >> Patients in Springfield say the pet even claims are simply untrue. And city officials agree Valerie Lions from Scripps News, Cincinnati has more from and Ohio community thrust into the national spotlight >> a video of a woman allegedly eating a cat that was in Canton, a photo of a man crossing the street holding a dead goose that was in Columbus. Local leaders tell me it is not happening here in Springfield. They say they've looked into it and they just found no evidence to support it. The alleged rumors went viral over the weekend. They started with a Facebook post accusing a Haitian immigrant in Springfield of killing someone's cat and eating it. The claim found its way to vice presidential nominee JD Vance who posted about it on his ex account. Then hours later on the presidential debate stage, former President Trump said this in Springfield. >> They're eating the dogs. The people that came in, they're eating the catch. >> But rose them are. Johnson says that's not true. So far as shun people. A man we can see that. >> So you're saying you as a committee would never do something like that? No. >> Mr. Johnson, a board member of Springfield's Haitian Community Health Center moved here 2 years ago. She's one of roughly 15,000 Haitian people to immigrate to the city since 2020. We are not here too. To be mean to and the too. anybody I just had leave our live them are Johnson says tension with the rest of the population has risen since last year. >> That's when a Haitian man with a foreign driver's license crashed into a school bus killing an 11 year-old boy that prompted more conversations over reckless driving. This man, voices frustration back in August. >> These patients are running into cans. running into buildings. Do run into. They see cars in the middle of the state. And at a Tuesday meeting, Springfield's mayor pointed to a rapid shortfall in available housing. >> And a strain on the education and health care systems continue to ask for support from the state help that is now on the way. Also on Tuesday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine addressed the quote, unprecedented surge in Haitian immigrants. He announced that he's allocating 2 and a half million dollars over the next 2 years to assist with medical care. He's also sending more state troopers to help Springfield police traffic concerns. I'm Valerie Lyons, Scrippsnews Springfield, Ohio. >> Here to discuss these false claims and others made during Tuesday's debate Russia Rockman with fact checking group PolitiFact? He was here yesterday and now he is back today with more. Thank you for making some time out. Yesterday we get to 9.11 coverage that we had to so short. So appreciate coming on again. Let's talk about this controversy is our our Scripps team visited Springfield, Ohio, and reaffirmed Trump's claim about migrants. Eating pets is indeed false. Your group sent someone there as well found the same thing. What else do folks at home need to know about this conspiracy? How a gain traction and its impact? >> It's it's actually really interesting. Great point. And I think one of the things that Politifact we often talk about when you believe something to be true or you have common belief, you're more likely to be susceptible to misinformation. So in this case, we could be candid. Donald Trump and Republicans have been talking about the negatives of immigration and migrants moving into this country for years and they have played upon those fears over and over again. This is a perfect example abusing misinformation, something that is not true to kind of stoke and spread those fears. Yes, it is correct. There have been thousands of patients that have moved into this community. And yes, when thousands of any any people move into a community, there's going to disruption and problems and issues. And in particular when people may not speak your language or may not look like those are all valid unreasonable discussions. What what Trump has had a habit doing and what he's done here is he spread kind of the worst case scenario. These crazy of also really are exposed to engender fear, not in Springfield, Ohio. I should that I should remind but around the country, people who don't know where Springfield, Ohio won't it. Don't know what actually going on It's actually tactic he's very successfully. In 2016. You tried again in 2020 and here we are reading from the same playbook. There's nothing true about this claim. Our reporters have also just proven it is as you reported there just did. But I think it's important to know why we're doing it. We're doing it. What we're seeing these stories is they want to stoke fear into electora