Father of Ohio boy urges Trump to stop using son’s name in immigration debate

Nathan Clark, the father of 11-year-old Aiden Clark, who was killed in a car accident last year, is calling on Donald Trump and other politicians to stop using his son’s death in their immigration discussions.

Speaking at a Springfield City Council meeting on Tuesday, Clark expressed frustration that Aiden’s name is being brought up in debates that include false claims about Haitian immigrants.   

“This needs to stop now,” Clark said. “They are not allowed to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio. I will listen to them one more time to hear their apologies.”

Aiden died in August 2022 when a minivan driven by Haitian immigrant Hermanio Joseph veered into a school bus, killing Aiden and injuring nearly two dozen other students.

Joseph was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and vehicular homicide in May and was sentenced to up to 13 1/2 years in prison.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally. (AP photo)

Trump’s campaign, along with his running mate JD Vance, has mentioned Aiden’s death to criticize immigration policies.

On Monday, Trump’s campaign posted, “REMEMBER: 11-year-old Aiden Clark was killed by a Haitian migrant that Kamala Harris let into the country.” Vance made similar statements, adding that Aiden’s death was a result of poor immigration control.

Clark’s plea comes as Springfield has been in the national spotlight due to a false rumor that Haitian immigrants in the city were eating pets. Local officials, including the police, have confirmed that there is no evidence to support this claim.

Since 2020, around 15,000 Haitian immigrants have settled in Springfield under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has urged the federal government to provide more support as the city grapples with the challenges of integrating new arrivals.

(With inputs from AP)

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