Ohio woman regrets spreading rumours about Haiti immigrants eating pets

A false rumour about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, has become a national controversy in the United States after the claim was repeated by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The rumour originated from a Facebook post by Erika Lee, who claimed that a neighbour’s cat had been taken by Haitian neighbours. However, Lee later discovered the information was unverified and deleted the post. In interactions with US media, Lee has regretted uploading the post on social media.
“I was not raised with hate… My whole family is biracial. I never wanted to cause problems for anyone,” Lee said.
According to a report in the New York Times, Lee had heard from a neighbour that a cat had disappeared and speculated that one of their Haitian neighbours might have taken it. But upon asking for proof, she found out the cat in question wasn’t even the neighbour’s daughter’s pet.
The rumour gained traction when former President Donald Trump mentioned it during a presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, saying, “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs… They’re eating the cats… They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, also perpetuated the claim.
Local authorities have confirmed that no pets have been stolen or eaten in Springfield.
Between 12,000 and 20,000 Haitian immigrants are estimated to have settled in Springfield in recent years, attracted by the city’s job opportunities and affordable housing, according to The New York Times.