What we know about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WCMH) -- The internet is rife with debate over an Ohio town, with even Elon Musk jumping in on extreme claims over immigration.

The owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, reposted claims on Monday from a Republican strategist that 20,000 Haitian immigrants had moved into Springfield, and were killing and eating residents' animals.

"Vote for Kamala if you want this to happen to your neighborhood!" Musk wrote, later sharing an AI-generated picture of a duckling and kitten with the caption "Save them."

Musk added his voice to a similar claim Monday morning from Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), vice presidential candidate alongside Donald Trump. Vance, who grew up an hour away from Springfield, repeated the same allegation on X that "people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn't be in this country."

The Ohio Attorney General's Office announced 30 minutes after Vance made his post that it would review legal options to stop the U.S. government from "sending an unlimited number of migrants to Ohio communities." Dave Yost commented on strain on Springfield's economic, medical and educational systems, and alluded to a 2023 school bus crash that left a student dead.

“The problem is not migrants, it is way, way too many migrants in a short period of time,” Yost wrote.

At the local level, however, the city government is telling a different story compared with Musk and Vance's claims.

Claims pets are being eaten by immigrants

The claims stem from the City of Springfield's own acknowledgement of a "surge" in its population, "primarily due to an influx of legal immigrants." The people from Haiti -- known as one of the poorest developing countries in the world -- received temporary protected status from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, allowing them to stay in the U.S. due to conditions in their home country.

NBC4 reached out to the City of Springfield to hear their take on allegations of animals being eaten. An official could not answer any specific questions, citing an influx of media inquiries, but did share a statement.

"In response to recent rumors alleging criminal activity by the immigrant population in our city, we wish to clarify that there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community," a Springfield spokeswoman wrote. "Additionally, there have been no verified instances of immigrants engaging in illegal activities such as squatting or littering in front of residents' homes. Furthermore, no reports have been made regarding members of the immigrant community deliberately disrupting traffic."

The Springfield Police Division corroborated the city's account, telling the Springfield News-Sun that officers had not received any local reports of pets being stolen or eaten. Investigators said the viral story originated in a Springfield Facebook group, where the poster referenced a neighbor's daughter's friend finding her cat hanging from a branch at a Haitian neighbor's home.

During public comment at an Aug. 13 Springfield City Commission meeting, however, several residents spoke up with their own accounts. One woman didn't repeat the claim about local pets, but said she and her husband were considering moving away over behavior she witnessed from people labeled squatters.

"It is so unsafe in my neighborhood anymore. I have the homeless that were trying to camp out, and I have made concessions with them ... I have men that cannot speak English in my front yard screaming at me, throwing mattresses in my front yard," the woman said. "I understand they're here under temporary protected status ... but who's protecting us?"

How many immigrants have arrived in Springfield

A section on the City of Springfield's website gave some context to social media users' claims that 20,000 Haitian immigrants had overtaken the area. The city government referenced multiple datasets to estimate its immigrant population sits somewhat lower, but called it "impossible" to give an exact number.

"Based on data provided from numerous sources, such as Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Springfield City Schools, area healthcare providers and social services agencies, the total immigrant population is estimated to be approximately 12,000 – 15,000 in Clark County," the city's website read.

Mayor Rob Rue gave a conflicting number in an appearance on "Fox & Friends," saying the city's public services were overwhelmed by 14,000 to 20,000 migrants the city brought in. Prior to the immigration situation, the 2020 census put Springfield's population at 58,662.

Between the mayor and city's accounts, the possible thousands have a perceivable effect in certain places in Springfield. The New York Times reported that around 350 new students, mainly from migrant families, enrolled in local elementary and middle schools. With a language barrier in play, Springfield City Schools said they had to hire six Creole translators to assist, bumping district expenses for the services to $436,000, compared with $43,000 four years prior.

Another resident at the same Aug. 13 meeting for the city commission, who acknowledged "growing pains" with new neighbors, disagreed with issues taken up by some of the other commenters.

"Newcomers that I know, are receptive to kindness and want to, in the best of their ability, help themselves," the man said. "Our community has been in a population decline for nearly 70 years. We need more and new people."

A deadly incident with a school bus driver

Hermanio Joseph was driving a minivan on Aug. 22, 2023, when he crashed into a school bus carrying 52 elementary school students to the Northwestern Local Schools district. He had no U.S. driver's license but did have a valid Mexican driver's license, according to investigators. The crash left more than 20 students hospitalized, and 11-year-old Aidan Clark dead after being ejected from the bus.

Yost's office alluded to this crash as part of locals' complaints that prompted its investigation. The crash even drew the attention of the New York Times, who reported the legal Haitian immigrant's crash was fuel to the fire for resentment from natives.

A jury ultimately found Joseph guilty of involuntary manslaughter, and a judge sentenced him to between nine and 13 years in prison.