Donald Trump has vowed to expel Haitian immigrants from the United States if elected president. He said this at a press conference held at his own resort near Los Angeles on Friday.
Trump said, ‘All illegal immigrants in the city of Springfield, Ohio will be deported.’ AFP.
During Tuesday’s election debate, Trump made a strange accusation about Haitian immigrants. He claims, without evidence, that immigrants in the city of Springfield are grabbing and eating the locals’ pets. About 15,000 Haitian immigrants live in Springfield. Most of them came to the United States legally.
Trump usually threatens to deport illegal immigrants. But this time his ‘dog eats cat’ accusation drew nationwide ridicule, leaving migrants worried for their own safety.
American broadcaster ABC News reported that for the second day in a row, an unidentified person has threatened to attack a bomb. As a result, a total of three schools in the city were declared closed on Friday. President Joe Biden, expressing concern over hostile treatment of immigrants, said, ‘Whatever is going on, is going terribly wrong. This has no place in America. What he (Trump) is doing must be stopped. Must stop.’
Leaders of the Haitian community living in the United States said the Republican candidate’s comments could threaten their safety. The situation in Springfield in particular could become more volatile.
The city’s mayor, Rob Rue, told ABC News, “We need compassion, not hatred.”
Meanwhile, Karen Graves, a spokeswoman for the Springfield Authority, said they have not yet received any credible reports of the pet being eaten.
He is also not aware of any hate crimes targeting immigrants.