Trump Stands Firm on Controversial Claims About Haitian Migrants During Univision Town Hall

Former President Donald Trump stirred controversy once again during a town hall hosted by Univision on Wednesday, reiterating his unfounded claims that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating their neighbors’ pets. This assertion, which has been widely discredited by both local and state leaders across party lines, was met with skepticism by the audience of undecided Latino voters.

When asked if he believed the reports from Springfield, Trump maintained that he was merely “saying what was reported,” yet failed to provide any credible sources beyond vague references to “newspapers.” He further suggested, again without evidence, that the migrant community was involved in other unspecified acts that were “not supposed to be” happening.

The former president’s comments were made during a forum moderated by Mexican journalist Enrique Acevedo, and came at a time when Trump is making efforts to connect with Hispanic voters. However, Vice President Kamala Harris still holds an advantage with this demographic, albeit a narrower one than President Biden had in 2020. Throughout the event, Trump often deflected specific questions from the audience, opting instead to focus on his criticisms of undocumented immigrants.

Ahead of Trump’s appearance, the Harris-Walz campaign attempted to shape the narrative by holding a press conference featuring children who were separated from their families under Trump’s immigration policies. Harris, who had participated in a Univision town hall the previous week, condemned Trump’s claims about Haitian migrants, calling them “lies grounded in tropes.”

The right-wing misinformation surrounding Haitian individuals living in Springfield—who are legally in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status—has become a recurring theme in Trump’s rhetoric about immigration. Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, has also promoted these conspiracy theories, despite pushback from the state’s Republican governor, Mike DeWine, as well as local officials including the city’s mayor and police chief.

Due to a surge of anonymous threats against Springfield’s Haitian community, local officials were compelled to cancel a planned cultural diversity celebration. Governor DeWine had previously labeled the viral story “a piece of garbage” and “simply not true,” and he ultimately called in state police to protect students following the uproar.

Trump has previously expressed that Haitian migrants, despite their legal protected status, are “illegal immigrants as far as I’m concerned,” pledging to revoke their status and deport them should he secure another presidential term. During the town hall, when a question referenced his previous remark, Trump, who admitted he had never visited Springfield, indicated he plans to do so in the future. “I’m going to be there and we’re going to take a look,” he stated, promising a “full report” upon his visit.

His assertions about the migrants consuming pets first emerged during a debate with Harris in September. When pressed for specifics, Trump claimed to have seen individuals on television who said “their dog was eaten by the people that went there.” However, a spokesperson for the City of Springfield quickly dismissed these claims, stating, “There have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.”

During the town hall, Trump also faced questions about his plans for the “mass deportation” of undocumented immigrants and his earlier opposition to a bipartisan border bill supported by Oklahoma Senator James Lankford. Although the legislation aimed to address border security, it lost GOP support after Trump condemned it as a “great gift to the Democrats” and a “Death Wish for The Republican Party.”

Instead of addressing these questions directly, Trump reverted to familiar talking points regarding his administration’s immigration policies. He claimed, “We had the strongest border we’ve ever had in the history of our country.” He then noted that while people were still entering the U.S., they were doing so through a legal process.

When asked who would fill the roles of migrant farmworkers if he were to deport them en masse, Trump shifted to more sensational claims about undocumented immigrants, labeling those crossing the U.S.-Mexico border as “murderers” and “drug dealers.”

Trump’s remarks during the Univision town hall not only highlighted his ongoing commitment to controversial immigration narratives but also illustrated the challenges he faces as he seeks to broaden his appeal to Hispanic voters. As misinformation continues to circulate, the implications of his statements will likely resonate in the political landscape leading up to the 2024 election.