Ohio Senator and Vice Presidential running mate JD Vance found himself in a heated exchange with a reporter over claims regarding the effects of mass immigration in the small town of Springfield, Ohio. During an interview after Tuesday night’s debate, Vance was asked a question many viewed as a “gotcha” moment by NBC News reporter Yamiche Alcindor, who challenged him on comments about migrants and their supposed impact on the city.
The back-and-forth exchange quickly turned into a viral moment, with Vance holding his ground and firing back at what he called the “disconnect” between media narratives and the reality faced by Ohio residents. Springfield, Ohio, a city of 60,000 people, has reportedly experienced an influx of up to 20,000 Haitian immigrants in recent years. There have been reports that the surge of migrants has overwhelmed local services, spiked housing prices, and even led to animals disappearing under suspicious circumstances.
Trump, during a recent debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, amplified these concerns, stating, “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats… they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.” The comment sparked controversy with some officials denying the accusations. However, many Springfield residents have shared anecdotal stories, saying they have personally witnessed disturbing incidents involving local wildlife.
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“Senator Vance, what do you say to Haitian Americans and Haitian immigrants who say spreading false claims about them puts their lives at risk?” Alcindor asked.
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Vance responded calmly but assertively, stating, “No one has spread false claims. What they’ve said is that a small migrant community, 20,000, so it’s big for the city of Springfield but it’s small compared to all Haitians in the United States of America, has caused a lot of problems. It’s led to higher rates of communicable diseases. That’s a verifiable fact. It’s led to animals disappearing. Many of my constituents have said that has been happening.”
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NBC News journalist Yamiche Alcindor asked JD Vance about the Haitian problem, but interrupted him every time he tried to answer. You think you hate these people, but you don’t hate them enough. pic.twitter.com/NdEYyi6yte
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 11, 2024
Alcindor then pressed Vance, citing the city manager’s statement that there was “no evidence” of immigrants eating pets. Vance didn’t back down. “The city manager said there’s no verifiable evidence,” he acknowledged, “But a lot of residents on the ground have said that there is. That just means the city manager isn’t fully in touch with what’s going on. I’ve heard from many of my own constituents who have seen these things with their own eyes.”
Vance went on to criticize the Biden administration’s handling of immigration, particularly focusing on Vice President Kamala Harris’s role as the “border czar,” accusing her of failing to manage the situation. “What do I think is a bigger problem? Insulting 20,000 people, or the fact that my constituents can’t live a good life because Kamala Harris opened the border? I think Kamala Harris needs to do her job.”
While the issue of whether immigrants are truly responsible for eating pets remains contentious, Vance’s argument reflected a growing sense among some that local authorities and media figures are out of touch with the struggles faced by working-class Americans.
