A claim circulating on social media and supported by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, suggests that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, are decapitating ducks in parks and eating cats. However, fact-checkers have found this claim to be false, with no evidence to support it. The city of Springfield has not received any substantiated reports of ducks being killed or other animals, including cats, being harmed by Haitian migrants.
Despite the false claim, there has been an influx of 10,000 to 15,000 Haitian migrants in Springfield over the past five years, living there legally under the Immigration Parole Program. Officials have stated that there is no evidence of these migrants harming or eating ducks, pets, or engaging in other harmful behaviors as alleged in the claim.
City officials have expressed disappointment over the spread of misinformation, noting that the challenges faced by the immigrant population in Springfield are primarily due to the rapid growth rather than the rumors being circulated. The only incident of animal harm reported in Ohio involved a non-Haitian woman in Canton, Ohio, who was arrested on suspicion of killing and eating a cat.
In light of these findings, it is important to fact-check information before sharing it on social media and to refrain from spreading false claims that can perpetuate hate and fear in communities.
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