In a video that has recently resurfaced on social media, Bryan Heck, the City Manager of Springfield, Ohio, is seen acknowledging rumors about Haitian immigrants in the town consuming domesticated animals.
The video, originally from a Springfield City Commission meeting in March, shows a local resident expressing his concerns about the alleged incidents. This comes despite Heck's recent statement to ABC News denying such occurrences.
According to The Post Millennial, the resident at the meeting expressed his understanding that the "laws and culture" of Springfield are "180 degrees from what they're used to." He went on to share his concerns about "some pretty horrid things occurring with the domesticated animals in the neighborhood." Heck responded by admitting that he had heard similar reports, but emphasized that there was no concrete proof to substantiate these claims.
The resident, who requested anonymity for those who had confided in him, was met with Heck's admission that he too had heard about the alleged incidents, but had not seen any proof. This exchange was later used to fact-check former President Donald Trump during his recent presidential debate with Kamala Harris.
In the debate, Trump claimed that immigrants in Springfield were consuming domesticated animals, a concern relayed to him by his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance. ABC moderator David Muir interrupted Trump's claim, stating that ABC News had contacted Heck, who denied any credible reports of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.
Trump countered by citing anecdotal evidence from television reports, suggesting that the city manager's denial might be a strategic move to protect the town's image. Heck has been vocal in recent weeks, defending his town and community against these allegations.
City officials in Springfield have attempted to investigate these claims by tracking 911 calls and reaching out to residents. However, they have been unable to verify the allegations due to lack of contact with the claimants. Critics argue that it is as stigmatizing to accuse Springfield's immigrant neighbors of consuming domesticated animals as it is to actually engage in the act.
Dustin Grage, a columnist for Townhall, shared a call detail obtained from a Springfield resident by the Heritage Foundation's Project Oversight. The call record details a resident's claim that her Haitian neighbors had stolen her cat. The Wall Street Journal later found the woman, who revealed that she had found her cat in her basement. Heck also confirmed that he had spoken to someone from Vance's office, where he reiterated that the claims were baseless due to lack of verifiable evidence.
Springfield city council meetings have seen residents questioning the protection of Haitian migrants under the temporary protected status (TPS) program, asking, "who is protecting us?" The TPS program allows Haitians to stay in the U.S. due to unrest in their home country, even if they are here illegally. Some residents have reported seeing Haitians taking ducks from parks and geese, while others have alleged that African migrants were grilling and eating cats in Dayton. Despite these allegations, city officials maintain that there is no verifiable evidence to support these claims.
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