Vance admits potential inaccuracy in his inflammatory statements against Haitian migrants yet encourages his audience to continue sharing 'humorous feline-themed posts'.
"Over the past few weeks, our office has been flooded with concerns from genuine Springfield residents, claiming their pets or local wildlife have been kidnapped by immigrants from Haiti. While it's plausible that these tales might end up being unfounded," Vance wrote on X.
"What's been verified, though, is the tragic incident where a Haitian migrant without authorization to be here took a life of an innocent child," Vance added, also touching upon the toll migration has taken on health and education facilities.
Vance seemed to be referring to an episode from the previous year in which a bus accident in Springfield claimed the life of an 11-year-old child. The driver involved was a Haitian immigrant who held a foreign license that wasn't valid in Ohio, as The New York Times reported. The driver concerned has been convicted of first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter and fourth-degree felony vehicular homicide, as per the Springfield News-Sun.
The Times reported that the town could have seen as many as 20,000 Haitian immigrants in recent years. The report suggested that the influx had put a tremendous strain on community health clinics, leading to a 13-fold surge between 2021 and 2023. Housing and schools also suffered under the strain.
"If you're a journalist or an advocate, who had no interest in the struggles of these American citizens until yesterday, let me offer some guidance: Divert your anger towards your fellow citizens who are enduring under Vice President Kamala Harris's policies. Show indignation at your own neglect," he continued.
Vance advised in a subsequent post, "Don't let the whiny media deter you, fellow patriots. Keep the memes filled with cats rolling."
Vance propagated false accusations about Haitian migrants in Ohio allegedly harming or consuming family pets on Monday. However, he didn't address this issue in his following post on Tuesday. This is just another step in a campaign that has increasingly resorted to racial prejudice, casting doubt on Vice President Kamala Harris' racial background, while aiming to undermine her immigration policies.
The unproven allegations seem to have originated from a local Facebook group and eventually escalated to the highest levels of conservative media and the Republican Party. These false claims gained wide traction on X, with its owner, Elon Musk, backing the fabricated rumors and sharing several related memes.
The City of Springfield's spokesperson stated in a statement to CNN, "There haven't been any credible reports or specific accusations of pets being harmed, hurt or mistreated by individuals within the immigrant community."
Despite the heated narrative surrounding Haitian immigrants in Springfield, the city's spokesperson refuted any credible reports of pets being harmed by individuals within the immigrant community. This situation underscores the importance of distinguishing fact from fiction in the realm of politics.
