(NewsNation) — Democratic lawmakers introduced a resolution Friday condemning bigotry directed at Haitian Americans in a small Ohio community that stems from what the group calls a “dangerous story” being told by former President Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance.
Members of the Haiti Caucus denounced the misinformation being spread by Trump and Vance toward Haitian Americans living in Springfield, Ohio. The resolution, introduced by U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., along with the co-chairs of the Haiti Caucus, condemns the “hateful and bigoted” attacks that have been brought by “MAGA extremist leaders,” Frost wrote on his X account Friday.
The group described the resolution as “powerful” during a news conference and called on Congress to “act swiftly, without delay.” Frost said that in addition to introducing the resolution, the group also spoke out to bring up the “humanity and beautiful resilience” along with the contributions of Haitian Americans living in the United States.
Democrats accused Trump of playing “a dangerous game of divide and conquer” which lawmakers said is leading to more death threats and more Haitian Americans not feeling safe in Springfield. Since Trump first directed comments toward the group earlier this month, the small Ohio community has remained in the national spotlight since Trump’s comments began.
Donald Trump’s false Springfield claims
The introduction of the resolution comes as Haitian immigrants in Springfield have continued to report threats of violence toward them since Trump falsely claimed in a debate against Vice President Kamala Harris that the Haitian migrants were eating pets belonging to Springfield residents.
Trump has since repeated the claims, which has drawn the ire of Democrats as well as local and state officials in Ohio. The claims have also led to bomb threats in Springfield, including at local schools as safety concerns have risen since Trump first made the comments in the debate.
Trump and Vance have both said that they may schedule a campaign visit to Springfield. Trump said at a rally this week that he planned to visit Springfield in the next two weeks as well as Aurora, Colorado, where rumors about Venezuelan gangs taking over a local apartment complex have surfaced.
“I’m going to go there in the next two weeks. I’m going to Springfield, and I’m going to Aurora,” Trump said this week. “You may never see me again, but that’s OK. Gotta do what I gotta do. Whatever happened to Trump? Well, he never got out of Springfield.”
In addition to Trump’s comments, his running mate and Ohio senator, Vance, has continued to repeat claims he has heard from Springfield constituents about migrants abducting their neighbors’ pets and other wildlife. Springfield police officials have said they have not received reports about migrants stealing or eating pets.
However, Springfield Republican Mayor Rob Rue said that the city could face a significant strain and a tax on resources if either candidate were to visit.
“While the visit brings attention to our city, it also represents logistical challenges that require careful planning and allocation of our resources to minimize disruption of daily life as a visit,” Rue said, adding, “As a visit from the former president will undoubtedly place additional demands on our safety infrastructure.”
Response to Trump’s Springfield claims
On Friday, U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., said that a Trump visit and the continued spreading of falsehoods regarding Haitian immigrants amounts to “adding insult to injury,” she said.
Members of the Haiti Caucus and others appearing with the group during a news conference Friday said Trump has continued to create a false narrative that is now “fictitiously spreading” throughout the country.
The misinformation has led to more Haitian Americans in Springfield feeling threatened., U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., said.
“It’s a sad time when a former president and his running mate choose to pit one group of Americans against others,” U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said Friday.
He added: “Day after day, we continue to see a doubling-down by those on the right who want to divide people in this country.”
Frost, whose Florida district includes the nation’s highest concentration of Haitian Americans in the U.S., called Trump’s spreading of the information about the Springfield-based immigrants “disgusting, harmful, and real.”
“These fake lies and purely hateful words are coming from people who are representing the top of our political system,” Frost said.
