Former President Donald Trump has vowed to carry out mass deportations from Springfield, Ohio, should he return to office. “I can say this, we will do large

deportations from Springfield, Ohio,” he said.

The city has become the focus of a social media storm after right-wing agitators spread false claims that newly arrived Haitians were eating household pets. However, the majority of the 15,000 Haitian residents in Springfield are legally residing in the U.S.

Trump has long promised mass deportations, typically targeting those in the country illegally. However, during a recent rally, he did not repeat the controversial claim he made during Tuesday's presidential debate with Democrat Kamala Harris, where he suggested that immigrants were eating dogs and cats. Those remarks were widely ridiculed.

President Joe Biden addressed the controversy directly from the White House on Friday. "A community that's under attack in our country right now... It's simply wrong. There's no place for this in America. It has to stop—what he's doing. It has to stop," Biden said.

Haitian community leaders across the U.S. have expressed concern that Trump's comments could endanger lives and escalate tensions in Springfield. While thousands of recent Haitian arrivals have contributed to the local economy, they have also placed pressure on social services.

City officials have confirmed that no credible reports of anyone eating household pets have been received. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.