To understand the Republicans latest racist attack on Haitian immigrants, you must first understand the history of Haiti. Toussaint L’Ouverture and his lieutenant Jean-Jacques Dessalines led Haiti’s Revolution against France, and by overthrowing their French slaveholders, Haiti declared their independence in 1804, becoming the first free Black republic in the world. The Haitian Revolution sparked fear of a slave uprising in the United States and led President Thomas Jefferson and other colonial powers to enact harsh economic policies towards Haiti. The effects of those policies can still be seen and felt today throughout Haiti today. Jefferson even described Toussaint and his army as cannibals — an early harbinger of the racist attacks that would affix themselves to Haitians and their culture.
The most recent racist smear against Haitians began when Senator JD Vance helped elevate a lie started by right-wing Republicans and neo-Nazis about Haitian immigrants living in Springfield, Ohio, who were allegedly eating dogs and cats. In a post on X, Vance, without any evidence, wrote “Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country…” The twice impeached former President Donald Trump went on to repeat that lie during the Presidential debate and has since doubled down on it. He’s gone as far as saying that he would deport Haitian immigrants in Springfield “back to Venezuela,” despite their legal status.
The attacks don’t end there. Vance has also tried to pose a Haitian immigrant as a murderer, because they were involved in a traffic accident where an 11-year-old child, Aiden Clark, died. Clark’s father has asked the Trump campaign to stop exploiting the accidental death of his son. Vance also claimed — without evidence — that Haitian immigrants are bringing “communicable diseases” to Ohio. No stranger to xenophobia, Trump once described Mexicans as rapists and previously said that African immigrants were from “shithole countries”. And he’s repeated old racist tropes about Haitians spreading AIDS. Not to mention his atrocious anti-immigrant policies while in office.
The dehumanizing and racist smear campaigns from these two aren’t new. But their latest attacks on Haitian immigrants signify a new, darker turn for their 2024 campaign.
It’s important to state that there is no evidence whatsoever of Haitian or any immigrants eating pets. The local authorities in Springfield, Ohio have debunked this racist smear. And Vance himself has said that he is willing to “create stories” — also known as lying — to get media attention. Trump and Vance have made the calculation that the only way they can win in November is by tapping into racism and xenophobia. They have no plans to solve issues to run on, so they run on fear. They want you to fear the “other.” To view those who may not look, act, or sound like you as a threat — and they lie and say they are the only ones who can keep you safe from that threat.
The memes and videos around how ridiculous the attack on Haitian immigrants is may be funny, but don’t lose sight of what is happening here — Republicans have placed a bullseye on a vulnerable population with little protection in a small Ohio town. They are inviting violence on Haitian immigrants and anyone who they deem don’t belong.
As we’ve learned from colonial history, this is a fight about who gets to experience freedom. And it’s clear some people want to keep it for only the privileged few. So, let us stand up against these racist attacks and those who wish to divide us because today it’s Haitian immigrants, but tomorrow it’ll be another marginalized, vulnerable community.
A version of this piece was originally published on Brandon’s Substack.