before. Thank you so much. >> As you just heard, Donald Trump double down on unsupported claims that Haitian immigrants are abducting and eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. We recently visited the area where we spoke to city officials and members of the Haitian community there. As you have been reporting, there is no factual evidence for these claims. What is actually happening? >> Three weeks ago, our wonderful producer and I were in Springfield doing a story about what is going on there. Springfield was like a lot of midwestern rust belt cities. At a declining population for a long time but in recent years they have had a influx of Haitians moving to that community. It is part of a wave of people fleeing violence in Haiti. As that country has fallen into chaos. About 15,000 of them have ended up in Springfield, Ohio. They are here legally. But their arrival in this community has been rocky, to say the least. There was an accident that killed a young boy last year. If you grow a city's population by 20% in just a few years, that causes strains. We talked to the mayor about this and this is what he had to say. >> The infrastructure, our safety forces, our schools, Springfield was a close community and has a big heart but at the same time we have had this influx that is taxed our services. >> We heard there had been Facebook rumors of ducks and geese being taken at city parks. A county commissioner said there was no evidence of that. But then this pets rumor that was amplified last night really took off when the senator from Ohio, jd Vance, put out this tweet earlier this week. Reports show that people have had pets abducted and eaten by people who should not be in this country. We asked the city manager. He is like the CEO of the city. He reiterated that there is no credible report that emigrants had taken pets, abducted pets, or harmed that in any way. There is a question you have to ask, if you believe that your beloved pet had been stolen and killed and eaten by someone, who would you first contact, the police or your local senator. Jd Vance says he has received multiple calls about this. Local officials say they have received none. Even today after the debate they double down and set all of these things are rumors that have been spread by misinformation. 5 these very ugly rumors have some historical context. How have these counterclaims been used against other folks in the past? >> That is exactly right. Researchers who study this say rumors like this are often used to demonize people who are seen as different. Whether they're from another country, speak another language, or simply look different. We spoke to a researcher at American university. Here's what she had to say. >> There has always been this idea of a threat from the other, from immigrants, from people of color, to the nation, to white families, to civilization itself. This idea that there is some terrible threat coming that has to be defended against. As evidence of that, this idea that your pet is being stolen and eaten. That is patently false. There is no evidence that that is happening. That is the kind of thing that makes people scared of the other. It demonizes them and dehumanizes them. >> Even though there is no evidence that immigrant communities in America commit violence at greater rates than nativeborn Americans, the former president his running mate keep leaning into this argument that we are being invaded by violent immigrant hordes. It is not true. >> Rate reporting from you. Thank you so much. >> You are welcome. ♪♪