Grade 1 of 5: Significant Democratic Concern
The Springfield Pet-Eating Hoax: A False Claim Against Haitian Immigrants, Followed by a Wave of Bomb Threats
Trump repeated a debunked rumour that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pets. In the days that followed, the city's schools and public buildings were repeatedly evacuated over hoax bomb threats, KKK flyers appeared, and the Republican mayor blamed federal politicians' words. Trump then promised to strip the community's legal status and deport them.