Republicans Promote ‘Dangerous’ Haitian Conspiracy Theory, White House Claims

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Doina Chiacu

WASHINGTON – The White House has condemned Republicans for spreading false claims about Haitian immigrants. This response comes after U.S. vice presidential candidate JD Vance and other prominent Republicans shared social media posts suggesting that Haitians have been responsible for the abduction and consumption of pets, including cats.

John Kirby, the White House national security spokesperson, expressed concern about elected officials from the Republican Party propagating conspiracy theories aimed at creating division based on misinformation, which he characterized as containing elements of racism. He remarked, “This kind of language and disinformation can be dangerous because some individuals may believe it and possibly take harmful actions based on it. It needs to stop.”

Vance, who serves as a senator and is the running mate of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, posted on social media that reports indicated pets had been stolen and eaten by immigrants. He further claimed that Haitian migrants were “causing chaos” in Springfield, Ohio.

Other Republicans, including Senator Ted Cruz and billionaire Elon Musk, have echoed these accusations in recent days. However, local police in Springfield have stated they have received no credible reports regarding such incidents. Springfield Police issued a statement clarifying that they had no specific claims of pets being harmed by immigrants, addressing the rumors that had circulated online.

The source of these allegations appears to stem from a Facebook group, where a member reported a lost cat and unfoundedly suggested that Haitians had taken it for food.

On Tuesday, Vance acknowledged the lack of evidence for these claims but continued to link Haitian immigration to local social issues, including healthcare and education. In a subsequent post, Vance encouraged his followers to continue sharing memes related to the situation, dismissing media criticism.

Throughout the campaign, Trump has made numerous inflammatory and racially charged remarks, using aggressive imagery to criticize immigrants and political rivals.

In recent years, the United States has experienced a significant rise in hate crimes, as defined by the FBI, which includes offenses motivated by bias related to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or gender. Reported hate crimes increased from approximately 8,500 in 2018 to over 13,300 in 2022, the highest level recorded.

Currently, over a million individuals born in Haiti reside in the U.S., a number that has more than doubled since the beginning of the century.