Trump vows to deport Haitians in Ohio city, as Biden condemns attacks

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has vowed to deport large numbers of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, shortly after US President Joe Biden called for an end to attacks on the community, Reuters reports.

During a news conference at his golf resort in Los Angeles, Trump, 78, pledged mass deportations, saying, “We will do large deportations in Springfield, Ohio.” While continuing his criticism of immigrants, Trump refrained from repeating the false and derogatory remarks he made earlier during a debate with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

Among his controversial claims during the debate, Trump falsely suggested that Haitians were “eating household pets,” which drew a strong rebuke from President Biden. Speaking at a White House event celebrating Black excellence, Biden addressed the issue, highlighting his press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, as a proud Haitian American.

“A community that’s under attack in our country right now. It’s simply wrong. There’s no place in America. This has to stop – what he’s doing. It has to stop,” Biden said.

Haitian community leaders across the US expressed concern that Trump’s remarks could escalate tensions in Springfield, Ohio. The city has seen an influx of recent Haitian arrivals, with around 20,000 new immigrants boosting the local economy but also straining the social safety net.

Trump’s false claim that “they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats” followed similar misinformation spread by his running mate, US Senator JD Vance of Ohio, on social media regarding Springfield’s Haitian residents.

City officials, however, stated there have been no credible reports of such incidents. Karen Graves, a city spokesperson, said there was no evidence of hate crimes targeting the Haitian community but acknowledged some residents had experienced “crimes of opportunity,” such as property theft.

Earlier, Trump claimed that the arrival of 20,000 illegal Haitian migrants in the city of 58,000 had “destroyed the way of life in Springfield.”

(with input from Reuters) 

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