### Trump Reiterates False Claims About Haitian Immigrants Amid Criticism

In a recent Univision town hall with undecided Latino voters, Donald Trump remained adamant about his previous allegations against Haitian immigrants, refusing to admit that he falsely accused them of eating people’s pets. When asked by an audience member whether he truly believed his statements about migrants in Springfield, Ohio, Trump deflected by insisting he was simply relaying existing reports.

“This was just reported. I was just saying what was reported,” Trump said. He suggested that the claims were widely covered in newspapers, adding, “I’ll give you a full report when I do, but that’s been in the newspapers and reported pretty broadly.”

During his debate with Kamala Harris, Trump had previously magnified these unsubstantiated rumors, describing Springfield immigrants as perpetrators of pet abductions and consumption. “They’re eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there,” he remarked. Law enforcement and city officials in Springfield have vehemently denied these allegations, noting that they have led to death threats and hoax bomb scares, disrupting schools, city buildings, and even hospital operations.

The origin of these claims seems to trace back to a Facebook post, which gained traction through right-wing and conspiracy theory-driven social media accounts, including posts from Elon Musk and Trump's running mate JD Vance. These posts garnered millions of views, further spreading the baseless narrative.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a supporter of Trump, took to The New York Times to defend Springfield’s immigrant community. He noted that while Springfield indeed faces economic challenges, its immigrants contribute positively to the local economy. "As a supporter of former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance, I am saddened by how they and others continue to repeat claims that lack evidence and disparage the legal migrants living in Springfield," DeWine wrote.

Trump has also made inaccurate assertions about the population of Springfield, claiming it to be 52,000 with an addition of almost 30,000 migrants. However, statistics indicate that roughly 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants reside in the county housing Springfield, with 10,000 to 12,000 hailing from Haiti. Most of these individuals are legally authorized to live and work in the United States. The 2020 Census recorded Springfield's population at approximately 60,000, and a 2022 American Community Survey reported that about 2 percent of the city’s population was born outside the U.S.

These episodes underscore the ongoing challenges in political discourse around immigration, driven by misinformation and rhetoric lacking in factual support.