(NEWS UPDATE USA FAST)-- Springfield residents have reported to officials that immigrants are allegedly hunting park animals, taking pets, and illegally occupying private properties.
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| Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost in Columbus, Ohio, on Nov. 6, 2018 |
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is investigating what he calls "extreme population growth" in Springfield, Ohio, purportedly fueled by an influx of migrants. The move comes amid allegations by some residents that Haitian immigrants have been killing and eating park ducks, cats and other animals-preposterous claims that recently picked up national attention. The issue also has been subjected to comments by political personalities including Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, the Republican vice presidential candidate.
In his announcement, Yost did not discuss specific allegations, saying only that Springfield, a city of about 58,000 residents, has "swollen by more than a third due to migrants." He referred to local reports of immigrants "stealing property, including livestock, squatting in homes, and killing wildlife for food."
"How many people can they be expected to take? What are the limits to the federal government's power? Could the federal government simply funnel into Ohio all the millions of migrants flooding in under the current administration's watch?" Yost said in the statement. He added that a "limiting principle" was needed, and he would go before a federal judge.
"It's not the immigrants that's the problem; it's just way, way too many immigrants in a very short period of time," Yost said. "It's huge population increase without communication or support from the federal government."
The Epoch Times reached out for comment to the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of Haitian immigrants. The Springfield Police Division has been contacted numerous times regarding reports of pets or park animals being eaten by the Haitians, and as of press time had not returned the calls.
In response to recent allegations against immigrants, Karen Graves, Strategic Engagement Manager from Springfield, said that "there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by people in the immigrant community." In response to the interest shown by a local media, she spoke that "no verified instances of immigrants engaging in illegal activities including squatting and littering in front of homes, residents have been reported nor local residents' reports concerning immigrant activity disrupting traffic.
Sen. JD Vance has taken to social media to claim that "people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn't be in this country," which is his code for illegal immigrants in Springfield. He provided absolutely no actual reports that could substantiate his claims. He has also complained in the past about Haitian immigrants and the effects they have on social services and overall stability in Springfield.
It is unclear where the rumors originated that migrants eat pets or park animals, but on social media over recent days, the rumors have taken flight. Later, Vance updated his post: "there is a possibility that all of these rumors turn out to be false."
One 28-year-old man told commissioners during an August meeting that Haitian migrants were killing ducks at a local pond and taking them home to eat. "They're in the park grabbing up ducks by their necks, cutting their heads off, and walking away with them," he said, imploring the city officials to do something. He further complained that the immigrants were causing disturbances, including "running into trash cans, buildings, and flipping cars in the middle of the street."
At the same meeting, another resident, only identified as Noel, complained of feeling unsafe with homeless immigrants in her neighborhood. She explained how they camp and squat on her property, facing her front yard in a littered manner.
The federal government extended Temporary Protected Status to Haitian nationals who arrived in the U.S. before June 3, 2024, even if they had crossed the border illegally. That now means the migrants cannot be deported to Haiti, which the World Bank describes as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.