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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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Republican Governor Mike DeWine has claimed former President Donald Trump's proposed visit to Springfield, Ohio, will strain relations with the Haitian community.
At a rally in Long Island on September 18, Trump said he planned to visit Springfield in the next two weeks. The city has been at the forefront of the immigration debate after unproven claims began circulating on social media about pets being stolen and eaten by Haitian migrants.
The allegations were amplified by Trump during the presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
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A social media post online claimed a woman had eaten a cat outside a home in Springfield—a town that has seen a large influx of migrants in the past two years.
DeWine, the Ohio governor, stopped by Rose Goute Creole restaurant on S Limestone Street to eat Haitian cuisine and speak with members of the local community on Sunday.
"I think it's time now to kind of focus on what Springfield needs," DeWine said, adding that the visit to the restaurant gives him the opportunity to ask community members what they want.
"Gives me an opportunity to talk with people, listen to people; that's kind of what we do," DeWine said.
News Center 7 asked DeWine if he had any updates about a possible visit from Trump.
"I've heard absolutely nothing about that. You know, we normally will get a couple of days notice, because the Secret Service will come in, and then we kind of, kind of get a feel when that's going to happen," DeWine said.
Any presidential candidate is welcome, but it will put a strain on the community, he said.
Newsweek contacted the Trump campaign for comment.
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In a column for The New York Times, DeWine said: "It is disappointing to me that Springfield has become the epicenter of vitriol over America's immigration policy, because it has long been a community of great diversity."
Trump has repeated the claim about Haitian migrants, saying: "They're eating the dogs!" during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris in Philadelphia as he referred to immigrants. He then repeated the claims about Springfield in rally speeches.
His running mate, Ohio senator and vice presidential candidate JD Vance, said in a post on X on September 10: "In the last several weeks, my office has received many inquiries from actual residents of Springfield who've said their neighbors' pets or local wildlife were abducted by Haitian migrants. It's possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false."
Vance also claimed that there had been "a massive rise in communicable diseases" due to Haitian migrants.
The vice presidential nominee did not provide any evidence to substantiate his claims surrounding Haitian migrants.
It comes after a pastor whose church has links with Springfield, Ohio spoke to Newsweek and made claims that Trump and Vance have been listening to neo-Nazis and nationalists for their information on Haitian migrants.
Ben Marsh, who leads the First Alliance Church in Winston, North Carolina, told Newsweek earlier this month: "My understanding is he's picking up on this information that began on online forums among neo-Nazis that gets filtered through a nationalist, conservative information channel to his vice presidential candidate, JD Vance."
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