Latinos in Ohio yearn for normality after false reports that migrants ate pets

Getting back to normal is what the Latino community in the city of Springfield, Ohio, wants most, after making headlines for complaints -false and amplified by the Republican presidential ticket- based on the narrative that Haitian immigrants were “eating” dogs and cats.

A tour of our team at Voice of America, On Wednesday afternoon, he found the streets empty in the city of about 60,000 people, as state police continued patrolling schools and government buildingswithout people knowing for sure until when these reinforced security measures will be maintained, or when life will return to how it was in the days before the more than 33 false bomb threats which snatched away their peace in one fell swoop.

“The Latino community in Springfield has been a little dismayed by what happened in the sense that they don’t know what will happen the next day,” he told the VOA Manuel Lopez, representative Del Pueblo, Inc.a nonprofit organization based in Ohio that supports Latino immigrants.

Read also: Human Rights Watch urges Latin American countries to protect Venezuelan and Haitian migrants

A little over a week after the unfounded statements, residents, authorities, community leaders and even the local Springfield police deny the allegations and admit that there are fears and tensions in a city that had been until just a few days ago the large home of a typical population in the United States: calm, peaceful and orderly.

“They are anxious in the sense that they want to know more about the day to day (…) Latinos in Springfield want to know what is going to happen the next day or at the moment,” said Lopez, who arrived in this city two decades ago and defines the Latino community in the area as “very constant and integrated.”

Springfield is located about 45 miles (70 kilometers) from Columbus, the capital of the state of Ohio.

To illustrate the nature of its inhabitants, Lopez told us that just two weeks ago they celebrated the Springfield Hispanic Festival, which was attended by some 3,000 people, including American residents.

“The American community has been very receptive to our community,” said Lopez, celebrating that in addition to tacos, barbecues and empanadas typical of Latin culinary culture, participants tried “cookies that are very typical of North American culture.”

This, several people said, is just one example of how peaceful life has been until recently for migrants living in Springfield, where they fill the ranks of local factories and warehouses in need of employees, despite the fact that it is a city with a predominantly blue-collar population.

“There is work for everyone. I have been living here for 20 years and I have seen how Springfield has been reborn over the last 10 years. I have personally seen the efforts of the local and state government to revive the economy and the community of Springfield,” Lopez explained.

Read also: White House accuses Republicans of spreading “dangerous” conspiracy theory about Haitian immigrants

Unexpected pause

In this peculiar and polarized political context of an election year, residents of Springfield admitted to being surprised by the way in which the bitter immigration debate that divides voting intentions in the United States into two camps landed in their lives.

This reporter was able to confirm that many parents have decided not to take their children to school until it is safe. Fears are even expressed in the fact that some people prefer not to speak to journalists so as not to draw attention. “Everything has come together (…) Yes, definitely at this time the immigrant community has been a little more visible,” said Lopez.

Most people surveyed acknowledge that life has paused. Springfield, for example, canceled its annual festival celebrating diversity, arts and culture scheduled for Sept. 27-28 in response to recent threats and in the interest of ensuring everyone’s safety. Some local residents said they want to be out of range of potential protests by local far-right groups.

Also on Wednesday, for example, the VOA He noted that three supermarkets were evacuated due to new bomb threats. They were reopened in the afternoon.

Springfield’s real “challenges”

Local officials have acknowledged that Springfield faces real problems, including that the sudden arrival of thousands of Haitians in recent times has strained schools, health centers and municipal services.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, has repeatedly denied online rumors that have been amplified by Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance. He has also reiterated that the Haitians are legally in Springfield under a federal program that allows them to stay in the country temporarily because they are Conditions in Haiti are considered unsafe for them to return.

At the same time, DeWine has asked the federal government for more aid to assist cities like Springfield at this time.

City spokeswoman Karen Graves recently said in a statement that “unsubstantiated claims, including sensational rumors” led to increased city spending.

“We have been forced to allocate resources to address these falsehoods and maintain the peace and unity we strive to foster,” Graves said.

Meanwhile, Latinos living and working in Springfield are hopeful that this avalanche of news and threats will cease.

“I have faith that it will happen. We have the support of the governor, the state, the city, Clark County, and its police,” said Lopez, who knows from more than two decades in Springfield what the Latino community represents and urged them to “stay informed.”

“In Springfield, Latinos are helping the community grow, helping businesses grow. We have several businesses that have opened in recent years owned by Latinos and many things are happening in the area of ​​culture and education, which are benefiting the entire community,” he concluded.

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance reiterated false claims about Haitian immigrants eating the pets of residents of Springfield, Ohio, in US television interviews on Sunday.

Asked to back up his claims in an interview with ’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union,” Vance pointed to what he said are firsthand accounts from constituents who have told him this is happening, though he provided no evidence.

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