Rose Goute Creole restaurant thrives in Springfield, Ohio, attracting customers from across the city with its generous servings of patties, donuts, fragrant rice, fried pork, fish, and golden plantains.
Rosena Jean Louis manages the front of the house, offering complimentary strong black coffee and skillfully handling the busy lunch crowd. She and her team take pride in their work, serving a rapidly growing Haitian expatriate community in Springfield.
“I’m always working at the restaurant,” she told TN. “Everyone likes the food I cook.”
However, when confronted with a disturbing online rumor that claims their fellow Haitians are stealing and eating pets, Rosena is visibly frustrated. Restaurant manager Romane Pierre, speaking to TN on Wednesday, expressed his disbelief over the viral misinformation, which has been echoed by prominent national figures including presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance.
Related Topic: Trump Escalates Rhetoric After Second Apparent Assassination Attempt
Growing Haitian population
Local officials at both the city and state levels have repeatedly attempted to dispel the rumor. Springfield officials have stated in press conferences and city commission meetings that there are no credible reports of animal abuse “by individuals within the immigrant community.”
Ohio’s highest Republican official, Governor Mike DeWine, firmly rejected the rumor on Wednesday, stating there is “no evidence of that at all.” Springfield Mayor Rob Rue echoed these sentiments on Thursday, noting that the false claims are “hurting our citizens and our community.” Rue expressed frustration that some of the rhetoric is coming from Sen. JD Vance, a fellow Ohio Republican.
“Unfortunately, we need to focus on dispelling this rhetoric and these false rumors. Springfield is a beautiful place, and your pets are safe here,” Rue told TN’s Laura Coates.
Sen. Vance has acknowledged on X (formerly Twitter) that “it’s possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false,” but he has also encouraged his followers to continue posting “cat memes” related to the dehumanizing claim. (One such meme seems to reference an incident involving a woman and a cat over 100 miles away in Canton, Ohio; a police lieutenant there told TN he had no reason to believe the suspect was not a U.S. citizen.)
Clark County Sheriff’s Office Major Scott Cultice reported this week that he and another county employee reviewed “about 11 months of calls” but found no complaints about cats, dogs, or other common pets. The only call they found involved a report of “four Haitians seen with geese,” which could not be substantiated.
Clark County Commissioner Melanie Flax Wilt criticized the diversion of resources due to misinformation. She described Cultice’s efforts as a “perfect example of how resources get diverted because of rumors.” “[You] spent 13 hours reviewing every call, only to find that one call led to a literal wild goose chase with no real information,” she said.
Related Topic: Air Pollution in Dhaka City: A Comprehensive Journalistic Exploration
A Fast-Growing City
Springfield’s website estimates that the immigrant population in Clark County ranges from 12,000 to 15,000, a significant portion of the city’s total population.
The city’s FAQ section clarifies:
Q: Are the immigrants here legally, and how did they qualify?
A: YES, Haitian immigrants are here legally under the Immigration Parole Program. Once here, they can apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Haiti is designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security for TPS, which is currently valid through February 3, 2026.
Despite this, malicious memes have capitalized on real concerns and some resentment regarding the city’s growing pains.
City Manager Bryan Heck highlighted in a July letter to US Senators Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Tim Scott of South Carolina that housing shortages have been a “crisis” for Springfield since 2018, exacerbated by the expanding population.
This situation has raised concerns about the allocation of public resources. A 28-year-old lifelong Springfield resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told TN she has observed a “drastic change” in the community over the past two years. Although she was initially undecided about voting for Trump in 2024, she felt his leadership might better address her concerns about the city’s changes.
The city notes that immigrants with Temporary Protected Status are legally eligible for financial assistance, health and nutrition services, employment and education services, and housing support. Since obtaining an Employment Authorization Document can take several months, these immigrants might need assistance until they can legally seek employment.
Haitian workers are integral to the local economy, filling crucial roles in various fields such as industry and health care. Programs like TPS and humanitarian parole were introduced in response to natural disasters and political instability in Haiti.
In Haiti, the Biden administration’s parole program, which requires a local sponsor, is criticized as brain drain, predominantly attracting the nation’s highly educated and multilingual upper and middle classes.
Vilbrun Dorsainvil, a physician fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Creole, left Haiti after receiving threats. He initially worked at Amazon in Springfield before transitioning to a nursing role where he could apply his medical expertise. While he regrets that his medical credentials are not recognized locally, he values his work with patients. Dorsainvil empathizes with residents who feel their city is being “invaded” but feels compelled to stay, noting that returning home is not an option unless absolutely necessary.
Several Springfield residents expressed dismay over the rhetoric and racism they believe has been fueled for political gain.
“When Republicans lack a platform, they focus on areas that invoke fear, and that’s what’s happening here with immigration,” said Amy Cox, a mushroom farmer from nearby Dayton running for the district’s congressional seat.
Cox added, “Ohio is a major manufacturing hub, and we need workers to fill these jobs. Immigration has always played a crucial role in meeting these needs.”
Related Topic: Air Pollution in Dhaka: A Crisis Fueled by Industry, Kilns, and Traffic
2023 Crash Becomes Flashpoint
In Springfield, one family has urgently requested that politicians stop exploiting their personal tragedy. A bus crash last year involving a Haitian national resulted in the death of an 11-year-old boy. This week, Sen. JD Vance highlighted the incident on X, alleging that the child was “murdered by a Haitian migrant who had no right to be here.”
In response, the boy’s father, Nathan Clark, issued a strong public statement at a Springfield city commission meeting.
“They can spew all the hate they want about illegal immigrants, the border crisis, and even unfounded claims about pets being harmed by community members. However, they have never had the right to use Aiden Clark’s name from Springfield, Ohio,” Clark said.
In a subsequent statement to TN, he added, “There’s a lot of hate circulating in this country, and it won’t stop until the division created by politicians ends. The recent focus on our case is purely politically motivated. We’ve been grieving for over a year—why the sudden concern? It’s politics. Instead of offering thoughts and prayers, people should be practicing acceptance of differences. It’s all about politics.”
At the same Springfield commission meeting, Viles Dorsainvil, a community organizer and the older brother of Vilbrun Dorsainvil, sought to advocate for his family. “I tried to represent the Haitian community and emphasize that we are here for dialogue and to work towards a peaceful Springfield,” he told TN the following day.
Dorsainvil expressed concern that the inflammatory rhetoric against Haitians could potentially lead to real violence—something many in the Haitian community have already fled from.
He noted that he is not alone in feeling a growing sense of danger in this otherwise tranquil American city. “I’ve received calls from friends and family back home asking if I’m safe,” he said. “Locals here are reaching out, asking if they should leave because things are getting out of hand.”
“I try to reassure them that every new beginning comes with its challenges,” he added.
This story has been updated with comments from Springfield Mayor Rob Rue.
