RANCHO PALOS VERDES, USA – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump vowed on Friday, September 13, 2024 to carry out mass deportations of Haitians, who are black immigrants, from Springfield, Ohio.
This campaign promise from the former US President comes despite the fact that the majority of the city’s Haitian population is legally residing in the United States.
Speaking at a press conference held at his golf resort near Los Angeles, Trump declared his intention to remove what he described as a “problem” in the Ohio city, which has become embroiled in a social media controversy driven by false claims about Haitian immigrants.
“We will do large deportations in Springfield, Ohio,” Trump said during the press conference.
His comments come amid growing tensions in the city, which has seen an influx of roughly 15,000 Haitian immigrants, many of whom are protected under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or have legal residency.
The false accusations—amplified by right-wing agitators—that Haitian arrivals were consuming household pets have further fueled unrest in the community.
While Trump did not repeat the debunked claim made during Tuesday’s presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris that immigrants were “eating dogs and cats,” his remarks have been widely criticised.
The former president’s broader pledge to deport immigrants generally targets those in the country illegally, but his recent statements have cast a wider net, causing concern among legal immigrant communities.
Schools Evacuated After Bomb Threats
Tensions escalated further in Springfield after bomb threats forced the evacuation of two elementary schools and the closure of a middle school on Friday.
This marked the second consecutive day of such threats, according to ABC News.
The threats have added to the already heightened sense of fear within the community, particularly among Haitian immigrants.
In response to the escalating situation, President Joe Biden urged an end to the attacks on the Haitian community, calling for calm and denouncing Trump’s rhetoric.
“It’s simply wrong. There’s no place in America for this. This has to stop—what he’s doing, it has to stop,” Biden said during a statement at the White House.
The Biden administration extended TPS to hundreds of thousands of Haitians earlier this year, citing the ongoing instability in Haiti, where gang violence and food insecurity have displaced millions.
The program offers protection from deportation and work permits to Haitians already residing in the U.S., a move aimed at providing relief to those escaping the worsening crisis in their home country.
Immigration Policy in the Spotlight
Trump, however, used the situation in Springfield to reiterate his hardline stance on immigration.
During a rally in Las Vegas later on Friday, he pointed to Springfield as an example of what he called the “mess” caused by an influx of immigrants.
“I’m angry about illegal Haitian migrants taking over Springfield, Ohio. You see that mess, don’t you?” he said.
Despite Trump’s assertion, local reports indicate that the Haitian population has contributed positively to the economy in Springfield, even as social services have been strained by the arrival of more immigrants.
His comments have sparked concern that targeting legal immigrants could further divide communities and intensify tensions.
Trump also continued to emphasise his broader immigration agenda, using harsh rhetoric about crime.
“I’m angry about young American girls being raped and murdered by savage criminal aliens that come into our country very easily, but very illegally,” he said during his Las Vegas rally, doubling down on the controversial language that has been a hallmark of his political career.
As the 2024 election approaches, Trump’s immigration policies are once again emerging as a key part of his campaign platform, despite the legal status of many of the immigrants his proposals would affect.
