Haitian migrants are reportedly fleeing Springfield, Ohio, “in droves” over deportation fears following President-elect Donald Trump’s election win.
Trump had singled out the town, which is overrun with migrants, by saying that they were eating people’s pets during a presidential debate in September.
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats,” said Trump. “They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
The soundbite was remixed into a song that went massively viral on TikTok.
Speaking to The Guardian, Margery Koveleski, whose family is Haitian, said that people are self-deporting.
“Some folks don’t have credit cards or access to the internet, and they want to buy a bus ticket or a plane ticket, so we help them book a flight,” Koveleski told the Guardian. “People are leaving.”
“The owner of one store is wondering if he should move back to New York or to Chicago – he says his business is way down,” Koveleski added.
The Guardian reports, “leaders in Springfield’s Haitian community, and others have relayed reports of Haitians fleeing the city of 60,000 people in recent days for fear of being rounded up and deported after Donald Trump’s victory in the 5 November presidential election.”
The report adds:
As Jacob Payen, a co-founder of the Haitian Community Alliance who runs a business that includes helping Haitians in Springfield to file tax returns, said: “People are fully aware of the election result, and that is why they are leaving; they are afraid of a mass deportation.
“Several of my customers have left. One guy with his family went to New Jersey; others have gone to Boston. I know three families that have gone to Canada.”
Some are thought to have moved to nearby cities such as Dayton, where they believe they would be less visible to law enforcement. Others who had temporary asylum in Brazil are pondering going back to the South American country, community leaders say.
Incoming border czar Tom Homan recently suggested that criminal illegal aliens and gang members should self-deport because “we know who you are, and we’re gonna come and find you.”
“While we’re out prioritizing the public safety threats and national security threats, if you wanna self-deport, you should self-deport because, again, we know who you are, and we’re gonna come and find you,” Homan asserted.
“So if you wanna self-deport, that’s fine,” Homan continued. “But criminals and gang members, they get no favors from this administration. You came to this country illegally, which is a crime. You committed crimes against United States citizens, some heinous crimes. You get no grace period. So we’re coming for you.”
Making himself very clear, Homan said that those who have not committed crimes beyond their illegal border crossing can “put everything in order” and “leave with their family all together.”
Asked about the logistics of the deportations, Homan said criminals would be “put on an airplane” to their country of origin.
TOM HOMAN: “Criminals and gang members get no grace period. While we’re going after the criminals, if you want to self deport, you can self deport, that’s fine. It would allow you to get your affairs in order, which is reasonable. We know who you are, and we’re going to come… pic.twitter.com/4i1VNLw0Ou
— Autism Capital (@AutismCapital) November 12, 2024
For those who have not committed additional crimes, Homan said, “They found their way across the world to come to the greatest nation on earth, and they can find their way home. Either that, or I can give them a free airline ticket.”
