The latest bogus claim made by MAGAts to gin up the fear about ‘those people’ centers around Haitian migrants in the ‘lovely,’ small town of Springfield, Ohio, stealing cats and waterfowl and feasting on them.
It’s all just fake news and another conspiracy theory to gin up the MAGAt hate .
Background:
At one point, Springfield had a population of around 80K people in 1960 but it has dwindled to less than 60,000 by 2014, similar to another lovely, city in Ohio—‘Youngstow.’ But In 2017, Topre, a major Japanese auto parts manufacturer, picked Springfield for a new plant in a decaying part of town that had been the site of International Harvester, a farm equipment manufacturer that was once the biggest employer.
By 2020, Springfield had lured food-service firms, logistics companies and a microchip maker, among others, creating an estimated 8,000 new jobs and optimism for the future.
But soon there were not enough workers. Many young, working-age people had descended into addiction. Others shunned entry-level, rote work altogether, employers said.
The Haitians had Social Security numbers and work permits, thanks to a federal program that offered them temporary protection in the United States. Some had been living for years in places like Florida, where there is a thriving Haitian community.
Then the Xenophobia kicked in and the conspiracy theories began:
Officials in Springfield, Ohio, said Monday they have not received any credible reports of Haitian immigrants abducting and eating pets, despite viral claims on social media that have been amplified by Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance and others.
References to the claim, which allege Haitian migrants have been eating cats, as well as ducks and geese, have garnered millions of views on X, with Vance’s X post racking up 4 million views alone, as of Monday evening. Vance, the Republican senator for Ohio, said he had previously raised the issue of Haitian immigrants “causing chaos all over Springfield,” adding, “Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country.”
The House Judiciary GOP, Sen. Ted Cruz and Elon Musk, the owner of X, also posted about the claim on Monday. Cruz, a Texas Republican, posted a meme on X showing two cats holding each other, with text that reads “Please vote for Trump so Haitian immigrants don’t eat us.”
But the city’s spokesperson told CBS News there have been “no credible reports or specific claims” of pets being harmed by migrants.
Spoiler Alert: Allexis Telia Ferrell, of Canton, Ohio, Is NOT a Haitian Migrant:
A 27-year-old woman was arrested by police in Ohio for allegedly killing a cat and eating the animal.
According to court records filed in Stark County, Allexis Telia Ferrell, of Canton, is charged with injuring animals, prohibitions concerning companion animals and disorderly conduct.
