Donald Trump maliciously spread outlandish claims about Haitian immigrants to millions watching his debate with fellow presidential hopeful Kamala Harris. He alleged, without evidence, that Caribbean newcomers residing in Springfield, Ohio were stealing and eating local pets.

Thankfully, ABC’s co-moderator David Muir was on the ball and called the ex-president out - noting that the top Springfield official said there had been no reports of pets being harmed, injured or abused by the city’s immigrants.

Trump’s baseless claim fits into a long history of anti-Haitian attitudes in the US. Worse, it could put Haitians in the US in danger, with racists emboldened by his words. Despite Washington’s role in destabilising Haiti through coups, installed dictatorship and economic subjugation, the US political class is never shy to scapegoat Haitians migrating to the US to escape the instability in their native country.

Across Republican and Democrat administrations, Haitians have been a prime target of US migration policies. A public health rule called Title 42 has been used to swiftly remove migrants, particularly Haitians, found at the US-Mexico border. Metering has seen those seeking asylum at the border put on a waitlist and told to remain in Mexico until it’s their ‘turn’ to begin the asylum process. This is nothing new: presidents such as Democrat Jimmy Carter and Republican Ronald Reagan subjected Haitian immigrants to special procedures that saw them detained and fast-tracked for deportation.

Video credits: @C-SPAN 2, @NBC

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