When one of the moderators pushed back on that statement by saying that Springfield officials said that there have been no credible reports of pets being taken and eaten, Trump replied that the city managers would say that, and he had seen someone on television say their dog was taken.
Springfield police on Monday said that they have received no reports related to pets being stolen and eaten after a social media post went viral claiming that their neighbor’s daughter’s friend had lost her cat and found it hanging from a branch at a Haitian neighbor’s home being carved up to be eaten.
Springfield city and Clark County officials on Tuesday said that rumors of pets or wildlife being eaten by Haitian immigrants had zero verified reports of specific claims.
These claims have circulated widely with prominent Republican figures like Trump, vice presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. JD Vance, businessman Elon Musk and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.
There are an estimated 12,000-15,000 Haitian immigrants living in Springfield now, according to data from the Clark County Combined Health District and other partners, Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said at a press conference Tuesday.
Springfield Mayor says migrant rumors are false. WATCH:
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