[2024 US Presidential Election]

Haitian Immigrants in Springfield Face Threats and Fear After Trump’s Comments

US Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump’s comments about immigrants during a televised debate on September 10 have sparked fear and threats among Haitian immigrants living in Springfield, Ohio.

According to Reuters, city authorities in Springfield announced that City Hall would be closed due to bomb threats to various facilities. A city official stated that a bomb threat email was sent to various city agencies and media outlets at approximately 8:24 am on September 12.

Haitian immigrants in Springfield are expressing fear, with some families stopping their children from attending school after the televised debate. The US government and local authorities are working to dispel the notion that Trump’s comments are lies.

Springfield city officials have stated that there have been no reports of immigrants preying on other residents’ pets. The US White House has also criticized Trump’s comments, saying they “spread filth and endangered the lives of residents.”

Despite this, the conspiracy theory that ‘immigrants eat pets’ continues to spread, particularly among the extreme right wing of the Republican Party. This claim is attributed to Laura Rumer, a far-right conspiracy theorist with 1.2 million followers on social media.

Rumer has appeared frequently at Trump events and has been in close contact with the candidate. She boarded a private plane with Trump on the day of the televised debate and accompanied him to the 9/11 Terrorism Memorial Service in New York.

The British daily The Times reported that Rumer spread the conspiracy theory on social media before the debate, prompting Trump to use it to attack his opponent. CNN has also quoted a source as saying that Rumer has significant influence over Trump.