(NewsNation) — The community thrust into the national spotlight during the 2024 presidential campaign over false claims about Haitians eating neighbors’ pets is now bracing to be the next city on the Trump administration’s list for immigration enforcement.

The continued spotlight on Springfield, Ohio — home to one of the Midwest’s largest populations of Haitian refugees — remains difficult for residents, who are now refusing to leave their homes due to rumors of impending immigration enforcement.

Springfield became a flashpoint of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown during the 2024 election. JD Vance, the vice president and former Ohio U.S. Senator who became President Donald Trump’s running mate, suggested that Haitian refugees living in Springfield were stealing neighborhood pets and eating them. Trump repeated the claims during a debate despite the allegations being widely debunked.

Now, the Department of Homeland Security aims to remove protections for Haitians living in the U.S., and people in Ohio are bracing to be the Trump administration’s next target following operations in cities like Minnesota, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Viles Dorsainvil, executive director of the Haitian Community Help and Support Center, told NewsNation he continually tells Haitian immigrants to be careful, especially in light of what continues to happen in Minneapolis. He constantly repeats the mantra that “immigration life is not for the weak,” especially for Haitians who have...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihgFBVV95cUxORURiZzMyQ3BXTG9QTFZTNktS...