PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Members of the city’s Haitian community and immigration advocates rallied at the National Constitution Center on Thursday in response to false claims made by the Republican presidential ticket about the town of Springfield, Ohio.
Since Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, have amplified discredited claims that Haitian immigrants there are capturing and eating household pets like cats and dogs — which officials in that state have refuted — Haitian and other immigrant communities have been maligned and threatened with violence.
“They are saying these things, and they know they are not true,” said Ann Geheb of Glenside, who came into the city to share her support. “And it is very difficult to watch [immigrant communities] being hurt, to hear about the bomb threats, to hear about how the children are being affected.”
Sam Van, with youth empowerment nonprofit Asian American LEAD, says the hateful speech doesn’t just impact the Haitian community.
“We just believe that this type of rhetoric will contribute to how the system will continue to treat other immigrants and refugees as a whole. And therefore we believe that it's really important for us to stand in solidarity with each other.”
Marion Pierre, one of dozens of Haitian Americans to gather in solidarity, said, “This is the place where we want to come and reclaim the space with truth — offer hope and offer healing.”
The Rev. Christopher Neilson and the New Sanctuary Movement organized the rally.
“The significance of where we stand, the history and our purpose of coming together, is to dispel the lie, to offer truth, to overcome hate with love, to overcome darkness with light, to offer to the Haitian community a lifeline, to humanize our Haitian brothers and sisters and our immigrant brothers and sisters,” he said.
“They are here. They have traveled treacherous journey to get here. The stories that we hear of them on foot, making it across the southern border, is something that is just humbling, and they have gone through a lot. They come here to work. That's what they come here to do. They want to work. They want to achieve the American dream. They want to better themselves. They want to better their lives, and this is why [lies and threats are] so hurtful.”
Pastor Maurice Choizi, leads the community of Church of God Ebenezer in North Philadelphia, which includes a number of Haitian Americans and immigrants.
“We have Haitians in Congress. We have Haitians as doctors. We have Haitians as nurses. We have Haitians as teachers. We have a lot of pastors, and I want them to understand that we have to pray to God for America. America needs prayers.”