Political Amplification
, the Republican vice presidential candidate, and the Trump campaign propagated unfounded rumors alleging Haitian migrants in , were abducting and eating pets, linking these claims to failures in immigration policy.
Despite the lack of evidence, these claims have been widely shared among Republican figures, including and , turning into a viral narrative that has been used to criticize Vice President .
Official Rebuttals and Context
Springfield officials and police have denied any reports of pets being harmed by the immigrant community, calling the allegations baseless and highlighting the strain on local services due to the influx of migrants fleeing gang violence.
John Kirby, spokesperson for the , labeled the spread of these rumors as "disinformation" rooted in racism, emphasizing the dangers of inciting harm based on such falsehoods.