In a recent development, Ohio's Republican Governor, Mike DeWine, has expressed his faith in the Springfield officials who have dismissed rumors of Haitian migrants consuming pets.
This comes in the wake of a significant influx of migrants under the Biden-Harris administration. DeWine has pledged to dispatch troopers and allocate millions of dollars in aid to the city to manage the situation.
According to Breitbart News, these allegations were triggered by former President Donald Trump's comments during Tuesday night's presidential debate. Trump claimed that Haitian migrants in Clark County had been consuming dogs, cats, and other pets. Responding to these allegations at an unrelated event in Springfield, DeWine stated, "I think we should take the word of the city manager and the mayor that they have found no credible evidence of that story, of Haitians eating pets." He further added that the state had not received any reports of such incidents.
The former President's claims were reportedly based on complaints from Springfield residents. They alleged that some of the approximately 20,000 new migrants had stolen and consumed local animals. One local man, Anthony Harris, claimed at a public forum, "Theyre in the park grabbing up ducks by their neck and cutting their head off and walking off with them and eating them."
A Springfield Facebook group post also alleged that a resident's cat had gone missing and was later found hanging from a branch outside a Haitian neighbor's home, presumably to be eaten. The post further claimed that park rangers and police had reported similar incidents involving ducks and geese at Snyder Park. However, Springfield Police stated that these social media claims were not currently on their radar.
Despite the controversy, DeWine expressed his support for the Temporary Protected Status program on Tuesday. This program, initiated by President Joe Biden's administration, has granted protection to over 300,000 Haitian nationals who would otherwise face deportation, as stated by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. As a result, thousands of Haitian arrivals have flooded into Springfield, a city of around 60,000 residents.
To manage the situation, DeWine announced the dispatch of Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers to assist local law enforcement. He also allocated $2.5 million over two years to enhance primary healthcare through the county health department and private healthcare institutions. DeWine also emphasized the need for the federal government to provide more assistance to the community to handle the influx.
Interestingly, DeWine's family operates a Haiti-based charity in honor of his late daughter, Becky, who tragically died in a car accident over three decades ago.
In response to the ongoing controversy, City Manager Bryan Heck dismissed the unverified reports of pets and waterfowl being consumed as "misinformation" fueled by "political rhetoric." He also praised the city's recent workforce growth as "diverse and robust," claiming it has "supported the expansion of local businesses, contributing to the stabilization of our local economy."
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