What to know about threats in Springfield, Ohio, following false claims about Haitian immigrants

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) — A small Ohio town has been inundated with false bomb threats since last week’s presidential debate, when former President Donald Trump falsely accused members of Springfield’s Haitian community of kidnapping and eating cats and dogs.

Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, has amplified debunked internet rumors about Haitian immigrants as the GOP criticizes President Biden’s immigration policies, which are supported by Trump’s Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. City officials acknowledge the growing hardship caused by the influx of about 15,000 Haitian immigrants but say there is no evidence to support the claim that they are consuming anyone’s pets.

More than 30 bomb threats have been made against schools, government buildings and city officials’ homes since last week, prompting evacuations and closures. Springfield also canceled its annual celebration of diversity, arts and culture in response to the threats, and state police were deployed to city schools on Tuesday.

Here are some things you should know about the situation in Springfield:

Who is behind the fake threats?

Foreign actors, for one. That’s according to Ohio governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, who said most of the threats are coming from abroad. The governor’s office says a criminal investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies has determined the “vast majority” of the threats are international in origin. Authorities have not provided further details about how investigators determined they came from a foreign country, and DeWine has not named the country.

What is being done?

DeWine sent dozens of members of the Ohio State Highway Patrol to 18 city schools, where twice-daily sweeps will be conducted to prevent further disruptions and reassure parents and students that the buildings are safe. But despite the increased police presence, many parents kept their children out of school Tuesday.

Meanwhile, security cameras have been placed at strategic points around the city and a bomb-sniffing dog has been sent to Springfield and will be on duty 24/7.

And DeWine has committed $2.5 million over two years to increase support for primary care. The state highway patrol also assists local law enforcement with traffic enforcement. DeWine said many Haitians are inexperienced drivers and unfamiliar with U.S. traffic laws.

How is the city responding?

Springfield never wanted to be the center of attention, at least not in this way.

On Tuesday, city officials said misinformation and lies about Haitian immigrants are creating fear and division, disrupting learning and costing taxpayers money. In a statement, they implored public figures, community members and the media to “move beyond divisive rhetoric and instead work to promote unity, understanding and respect.” The statement did not mention Trump or Vance by name.

Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said the influx of immigrants was straining police, hospitals and schools. He also criticized the federal government, saying the city had asked for help months ago. But on Tuesday he called on national leaders to “tone down and tell the truth.”

Why did so many Haitians move to Springfield?

Jobs and word of mouth.

Springfield lost manufacturing jobs and its population declined significantly toward the end of the last century. But the city made a concerted effort to attract employers, and Haitian immigrants helped fill the growing demand for labor in factories and warehouses. Word spread, and Haitians began arriving in larger numbers over the past few years.

Haitians from Springfield and elsewhere have come to the United States to escape violence in their country. Many are here under a federal program called Temporary Protected Status, which allows them to live and work in the United States temporarily because conditions are considered too dangerous for them to return to Haiti.

What do Haitian immigrants say?

Even before Trump and Vance began promoting and spreading lies about eating pets, Haitian community members say longtime Haitians were growing restless because of the newcomers’ perceived impact on jobs, housing and traffic.

“Some of them talk about living in fear. Some of them fear for their lives,” Rose-Thamar Joseph said last week at the Haiti Community Aid and Support Center in Springfield.

Mia Perez said at a church service on Sunday that her daughter had been evacuated from school twice in the past week.

“Kids at school are asked questions by other kids: ‘What does dog taste like? What does cat taste like?'” Perez said. “They ask, ‘Are we Haitians eating these things? Is this right? What’s going on?'”

“This was a conversation I was not ready to have with my daughter,” Perez said. “I felt like our culture was being disrespected.”