AOC condemns Donald Trump and JD Vance's claims of Haitian immigrants abducting and eating pets in Ohio

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has criticized Donald Trump and JD Vance for promoting false claims that Haitian immigrants had abducted and eaten pets in Ohio.

The controversy began when a video showed a Springfield, Ohio, resident alleging that Haitian migrants were capturing, beheading, and consuming geese from a local park, according to Daily Mail.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accuses Donald Trump and JD Vance of inciting violence

The claims quickly gained traction within conservative circles, catching the attention of Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance.

During his debate against Vice President Kamala Harris on September 10, Trump brought up these allegations.

"Migrants are eating the dogs, the people that came in. They're eating the cats. They're eating the pets of the people that live there," he said.

At the same time, Vance speculated on social media about the veracity of the reports before conceding that they could be false.

Denouncing these claims as intentionally malicious, Ocasio-Cortez accused Trump and Vance of inciting violence against migrant communities.

Speaking on the steps of the House after a vote on Thursday morning, September 12, Ocasio-Cortez referred to the false claims of pet consumption as "intentional, incredibly malicious, and disgusting."

"They are engaged in something that is more than just a harmful statement, or even can be misconstrued as a joke," she said.

She further suggested that Trump and Vance's actions reflect a more sinister agenda, using the unverified claims to spread fear among citizens.

"It is very clearly on a path of inciting violence, and they and these claims very often have a history of that," the left-wing activist continued.

JD Vance walks back on claims against immigrants

In his post on X on September 9, JD Vance stated, "Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn't be in this country."

However, the Ohio senator later walked back his statements as he acknowledged in a subsequent post on September 10 that the rumors might be false.

"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," he wrote.

Local Leaders dispel rumors against immigrants

The contentious accusations against immigrants have drawn significant media attention, prompting journalists and content creators to investigate the claims in Springfield.

Addressing the situation during an interview, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine urged the public to pay heed to the statements of local officials who have debunked the false claims.

"This is something that came up on the internet. The internet can be quite crazy sometimes," stated DeWine.

He then pointed to comments from Springfield Mayor Rob Rue who dismissed the rumors as unfounded and without evidence.

"Mayor Rue says, 'No there's no truth in that,' they have no evidence of that at all. So I think we go with what the mayor says, he knows his city," DeWine noted.