Washington — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, distanced himself from former President Donald Trump’s false declare that Haitian immigrants in Springfield are consuming individuals’s pets.
“That is one thing that got here up on the web, and the web will be fairly loopy generally,” DeWine instructed CBS Information’ chief Washington correspondent Main Garrett on Wednesday.
DeWine stated he trusts metropolis officers, who’ve stated they haven’t acquired any credible stories of such conduct.
“Mayor [Rob] Rue of Springfield says, ‘No, there is not any reality in that.’ They haven’t any proof of that in any respect. So, I feel we go along with what the mayor says. He is aware of his metropolis, ” DeWine stated.
The baseless rumors have been amplified in current days by Trump and his allies. Trump repeated the declare throughout Tuesday’s debate in opposition to Vice President Kamala Harris.
“In Springfield, they’re consuming the canines — the those who got here in — they’re consuming the cats,” he stated. “They’re consuming — they’re consuming the pets of the those who reside there. And that is what’s occurring in our nation, and it is a disgrace.”
Earlier within the week, Trump’s working mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, shared the declare on social media, saying, “Studies now present that individuals have had their pets kidnapped and eaten by individuals who should not be on this nation.”
DeWine defended the hundreds of Haitian migrants who’re dwelling in Springfield, however famous there are challenges that include 15,000 migrants settling in metropolis with a inhabitants of lower than 60,000 within the final couple of years.
“These Haitians got here in right here to work as a result of there have been jobs, and so they crammed a number of jobs. And if you happen to speak to employers, they’ve performed a really, excellent job and so they work very, very arduous,” he stated.
However a scarcity of well being care in Haiti means the native main well being care system must be expanded to have the ability to deal with the rise in care, DeWine stated. One instance he cited was their want for vaccinations.
The opposite problem, he stated, is instructing the brand new arrivals find out how to drive in response to U.S. legal guidelines. He stated Ohio has a loophole that enables drivers over 18 to cross a check to acquire a license without having coaching.
“The legal guidelines in Haiti are very, very totally different than they’re in the USA,” he stated. “So the problem is to get drivers’ coaching for these people in order that after they do go on the street, they are going to be secure.”
