What's really happening in Springfield after the world learned of allegations that immigrants are eating pets? – WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio

SPRINGFIELD — During the presidential debate in Springfield, Ohio, the nation's attention turned to former President Donald Trump's claim that immigrants were eating their people's pets.

“In Springfield, they eat the dogs. The people that came here. They eat the cats. They eat, they eat the pets,” Trump said.

A photo from a Reddit post fueled the rumors. It showed a man carrying what looked like a goose in Springfield. The photo was actually taken in Columbus, Ohio, about 45 miles away.

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People also shared a video of an Ohio woman accused of killing and eating a cat. Police body camera video shows officers arresting the woman, but that, too, did not happen in Springfield. The incident occurred hours away in Canton, Ohio. The woman arrested is also not an immigrant. She was born in Ohio and graduated from McKinley High School in Canton in 2015, according to public records and newspaper reports reviewed by The Associated Press.

Even before the debate, Springfield tried to discredit the rumors with the following statement:

“In response to recent rumors that the immigrant population in our city is engaging in criminal activities, we would like to clarify that there are no credible reports or concrete allegations of pets being injured or mistreated by individuals from the immigrant community. In addition, there are no confirmed cases of immigrants engaging in illegal activities such as squatting or dumping garbage in front of residents' homes. In addition, there are no reports of members of the immigrant community intentionally obstructing traffic.”

— Karen Graves, Strategic Engagement Manager at Springfield

The influx of immigrants puts a strain on municipal services.

For months, News Center 7 has been reporting on the impact of the move of nearly 15,000 Haitian immigrants to Springfield. City leaders have asked for state and federal assistance with police, fire, schools, health care and translation services, as well as problems with unlicensed or uneducated drivers.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is now involved. He ordered that additional Ohio State Highway Patrol patrol cars and patrol vehicles be deployed to assist Springfield police officers with traffic problems.

DeWine also called on the Ohio Department of Health to improve primary health care in the city.

“I have great faith in the people of Springfield. They are not anti-Haitian. They just see the problems and want the elected officials to do everything they can to alleviate those problems,” DeWine said.

The school system is also making adjustments to handle the influx of students. Springfield City Schools reported there are more than 1,600 non-English speaking students in their district this year, up from 250 in 2018.

The district implemented a bilingual program, now has 18 English as a Second Language teachers, and hired eight bilingual assistants to help overcome the language barrier.

The people of Springfield are feeling the stress.

“I just walk around and pray for my city,” said Bonnie Johnson of Springfield.

“I know a lot of people who are really upset about this,” added Carolyn Dunn.

“We are resilient people. Hardworking people. And I think we have a lot to offer this community here,” said Haitian immigrant Viles Dorsainvil.

Why are there so many Haitian immigrants in Springfield? The city says many of the immigrants are in the U.S. legally and under temporary protected status.

This status gives migrants from countries deemed unsafe due to events such as wars or disasters the right to live and work in the United States.

The city of Springfield said Haitian immigrants have settled in Springfield after word spread about the lower cost of living and availability of jobs.

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