Washington DC - Donald Trump's presidential campaign and his running mate, JD Vance, are facing backlash for spreading a now-debunked falsehood about Haitian immigrants.

On Monday, the Trump War Room campaign account stated in a post that if re-elected, "Trump will deport migrants who eat pets."

"Kamala Harris will send them to your town next," the post said of Trump's rival in the 2024 presidential race. "Make your choice, America."

Only moments later, Vance shared a post on his own page which included a video of himself speaking during a Senate hearing about a surge of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio.

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"Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn't be in this country," Vance wrote in the post. "Where is our border czar?"

According to CNN, both are referring to a post on a Springfield Facebook group in which a user claimed that a friend of their neighbor's daughter found their missing cat hanging from a branch at a Haitian neighbor’s home – as they were preparing to eat it.

The story quickly spread like wildfire across social media, with conservatives and the far-right boosting the narrative, but is there any truth to the story or their claims?

While it is true that Springfield has seen a surge in Haitian immigrants, with city officials estimating around 20,000 since the pandemic, most are in the US legally.

Some officials have expressed concern about how the influx has put pressure on housing, schools, and hospitals, and resentment has grown among some residents, who claim the group is "draining social services" and "causing chaos."

In a statement, a spokesperson for the City of Springfield said, "We wish to clarify that there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community."

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"Additionally," the statement continued, "there have been no verified instances of immigrants engaging in illegal activities such as squatting or littering in front of residents' homes... [or] deliberately disrupting traffic.

Despite another official saying there is "no evidence" of such acts being committed, the cat story is continuing to be pushed by influencers and even politicians with massive audiences.

Elon Musk, who owns X, has been sharing numerous memes and videos pushing the narrative, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz recently shared a meme of two cats hugging with text that reads, "Please vote for Trump so Haitian immigrants don't eat us."

Throughout the 2024 race, Trump and Vance have faced accusations of race-baiting, as critics argue their rhetoric, particularly around immigration, encourages racism and anger among their base in order to gain an advantage politically.

When asked for comment, a spokesperson for Vance's office claimed the senator has been receiving "a high volume of calls and emails" from Springfield residents, so his remarks are based on "what he is hearing."