Former President Donald Trump boldly claimed that Haitian immigrants had eaten people’s dogs and cats in Springfield, Ohio, bringing the community national attention. 

Despite this claim being disproven both at the presidential debate by “World News Tonight,”  anchor and managing editor David Muir, and after by many officials including Ohio Rep. and Gov. Mike DeWine, Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance remain persistent.

The city has been sent 35 reported threats of violence since then. Including bomb threats to local elementary, middle, and high schools causing them to evacuate. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has not yet released any sign of finding the ones responsible for these strings of threats at this time.

The Haitian community of Springfeild, upset with these recent events, went to Central Christian Church, where Rev. Carl Ruby, a preacher invited them to join his congregation in peaceful protest.Viles Dorsainvil, leader of the Haitian Community Help and Support Center, also accepted the invitation.

In the past three years, the U.S has seen a great increase of Haitian immigrants. In Springfield, all have landed legally under the U.S Temporary Protected Status program, as their home country has been overrun by gang violence. The UN has released that 3,661 people already have been killed, since the start of the year. 

The situation took extreme measures when these gangs formed a coalition known as “Viv Ansanm.” This coalition made a coordinated attack on the country’s governmental sites in the capital,  Port-au-Prince in the Artibonite Department, the country’s largest agricultural region. These sites include two prisons, and multiple police stations. 

In response, the UN rights Chief is enacting a commission that will deploy troops to help Haiti’s police force, in what is called the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS). 

As the crisis in Haiti grows more severe, more and more people are evacuating out of the country. The Center for Immigration Studies recorded that 852,000 Hatians have entered into the  U.S so far this year. 

For years, Haiti and its people have faced extreme discrimination and violence. They have immigrated to the United States to seek relief, and gain a sense of security. However, due to America’s current political scene, their safety is now, once again being tested.