>>IN SPRINGFIELD, THEY'RE EATING THE DOGS. THE PEOPLE THAT CAME IN THERE EATING THE CATS, THEY'RE EATING THEY'RE EATING THE PETS OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE >>THAT'S FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AT THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, REPEATING A CLAIM ABOUT THE LARGE HAITIAN IMMIGRANT POPULATION IN SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. MODERATOR DAVID MUIR SAYS A CITY LEADER TOLD ABC NEWS APP THERE HAVE BEEN NO CREDIBLE REPORTS OF ANIMALS BEING HARMED. REACTION HAS POURED IN ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA. >>LATE TONIGHT, WE LEARNED THE GOVERNOR OF OHIO IS SENDING $2.5 MILLION TO THAT PARTICULAR CITY TO HELP WITH THE INFLUX OF HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS HERE IN RHODE ISLAND. WE'RE HEARING FROM RHODE ISLANDERS, ORIGINALLY FROM HAITI. TONIGHT AS NBC TEN S TEMITOPE ATALIA TELLS US TAMMY DAN PATRICE, A LOCAL ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS HAITIANS GET ESTABLISHED HERE, SAYS THE COMMUNITY IS DEEPLY HURT BY THE FALSE CLAIM, BUT THEY ARE SPENDING THE MOMENT TO THEIR BENEFIT FROM AROUND THE WORLD >>MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TUNED IN LAST NIGHT FOR THE FIRST AND POSSIBLY ONLY 2024 PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS LEFT DEBATE WATCHERS MORE ANGRY THAN INFORMED. WHAT A MESS. >>FIRST OFF, THE FACT THAT THE HAITIAN HOAX WAS BROUGHT UP ON A DEBATE STAGE JUST SHOWS HOW INCREDIBLY RACES TRUMP IS. >>THE FALSE CLAIM ISN'T SITTING WELL WITH BERNARD GEORGES, THE FOUNDER OF NEW BRIDGES FOR HAITIAN SUCCESS. >>CITY OFFICIALS SAY THAT THAT'S NOT TRUE. SO. BUT HE STILL TRIED TO. HE'S STILL PUSHING IT. >>GEORGES NONPROFIT SUPPORTS HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS AND MIGRANTS ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. HE SAYS TRUMP'S FALSE CLAIM THAT HAITIAN MIGRANTS IN OHIO WERE EATING CATS AND DOGS IS ALREADY HAVING A NEGATIVE EFFECT, INCLUDING BULLYING OF HAITIAN CHILDREN IN SCHOOL. >>IMAGINE THEIR FRIENDS START CALLING THEM NAMES. THEY ARE EATING THE DOGS. IMAGINE IF TRUMP BECAME AN ELECTED. SO IT'S GOING TO CAUSE MORE CHAOS TO WHAT WE ARE ALREADY FACING, WHAT WE ARE ALREADY GOING THROUGH. >>BUT THEY'RE SPENDING THE MOMENT TO THEIR ADVANTAGE NOT TO MAKE LIGHT OF THIS SITUATION, BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAITIANS EAT, THEY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT? >>WELL, IF YOU WANT TO DIG WILL TASTE OF HAITI. JUST COME ON SEPTEMBER 20TH. WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 11 YEARS OF THE HARD WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE COMMUNITY, THE SERVICE THAT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING IN THE COMMUNITY. >>THE NEW BRIDGES FOR HAITIAN SUCCESS 11TH ANNUAL GALA WILL TAKE PLACE AT RHODES ON THE PAWTUXET NEXT FRIDAY. GEORGIA SAYS THEY WILL OFFER DELICIOUS FOOD AND DISPEL OTHER MYTHS. OTHER MYTHS ABOUT HAITIANS. FOR MORE INFORMATION, LOOK FOR THIS STORY