Don’t believe Donald Trump’s racist — and absurd — slander against Haitians. We’re not eating pets.

By now, most people have come across the false online rumors being spread by former President Donald Trump about Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, allegedly stealing and eating cats and dogs.

This vicious and baseless lie has gone viral, feeding into the worst kinds of stereotypes and misinformation. Despite both the chief of police and the mayor of Springfield debunking this rumor — publicly stating there is absolutely no evidence to support such claims — these pernicious accusations persist. Trump and far-right figures have continued to spread this baseless slander, seizing on the moment to stoke fear and division.

At the heart of this smear campaign is the Haitian community, which has recently grown in Springfield. The city, a manufacturing hub of 60,000 people, has seen an influx of Haitian migrants in recent years, driven largely by labor demands. Springfield needed workers, and in search of better opportunities, as many as 20,000 Haitians have settled in the area since the start of the pandemic.

By all accounts, these newcomers have been model citizens — contributing to the local economy, working hard, and being praised for their resilience. Their presence has revitalized a city that was previously struggling to meet its labor needs.

But instead of celebrating this success story, certain factions have chosen to vilify the Haitian community. The spread of these lies is a clear attempt to play on racist and xenophobic fears, targeting Black and immigrant communities for political gain.

Beyond being bigoted, this kind of slander is also dangerous. In recent days, Springfield officials have been forced to close schools because of bomb threats. The accusations have also underscored the fraught racial divisions in the community, even as it continues to heal from the sentencing last year of a Black man who was convicted of committing hate crimes against eight Haitians.

As the nation gears up for another presidential election, these hateful narratives are being weaponized to shift the focus away from policy and toward fear-based, divisive rhetoric. The claims against the Haitian community are not just false — they are part of a broader pattern of scapegoating and discrimination that has plagued immigrants and communities of color throughout U.S. history.

This is not the first time Haitians have been unfairly targeted and maligned in the United States. In the 1980s, during the height of the AIDS crisis, Haitians were wrongfully blamed for the spread of the disease.

This baseless accusation fueled anti-Haitian sentiment and led to widespread discrimination, further marginalizing a community already struggling with the challenges of immigration and integration.

As a Haitian American, I remember my family, along with others who came from the island, protesting vigorously against these unfounded speculations. We had to fight back against narratives designed to cast Black and immigrant communities as threats to public health and safety.

Hate-mongering against Haitians is nothing new. It is deeply rooted in an intersection of anti-Black racism and anti-immigrant bigotry, with certain groups seeking to scapegoat a perceived vulnerable community to distract from the real issues at hand.

What we are witnessing today in Springfield is an echo of the same hatred and fear that has long been used to marginalize Haitians in the United States. But we refuse to stand idly by as these attacks escalate. The Haitian community has shown time and again that we will not be silenced or diminished.

Here in Philadelphia, there are north of 30,000 Haitians in the region — representing a vibrant and thriving community. They’ve contributed to the city’s culture, economy, and religious life for decades. Haitian Catholics in the city have been a distinct, notable faith community in the city since at least the 1970s.

More recent immigrants have helped to breathe new life into the city through their entrepreneurial spirit, especially in North Philly, Olney, and East Mount Airy, making us part of the broader social fabric that makes Philadelphia a dynamic and diverse city.

The lie that Haitians, or any immigrant group, are eating pets is not only absurd — it is deeply dehumanizing. This same slander has been used against Asian immigrants for decades, in an attempt to paint new arrivals to our shores as foreign, uncivilized, and incompatible with “American values.”

The lie that Haitians, or any immigrant group, are eating pets is not only absurd — it is deeply dehumanizing.

To the contrary, Haitians have long been an integral part of the American story. Our contributions to this country date back to its very beginnings. Haitian soldiers fought alongside forces from the 13 colonies in the Revolutionary War, and a Haitian, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, founded the great city of Chicago. Since then, Haitians have continued to contribute to the economic, cultural, and political life of the United States. We have excelled in every field — science, education, the arts, business — and helped build the very fabric of this nation.

Yet, despite these contributions, Haitians have often been subjected to humiliating and dehumanizing treatment. We have been labeled, discriminated against, and wrongfully blamed for societal ills. But we refuse to be defined by these lies.

We demand respect and recognition for the role we’ve played in shaping this country. The resilience of the Haitian community is unmatched. Whether it’s in Springfield, Philadelphia, or anywhere else in this country, we will continue to stand up and fight back against racism, xenophobia, and fear-mongering.

» READ MORE: Racism, bias, and xenophobia: How Trump’s bigoted views foster division and abase the presidency | Editorial

It is time to put an end to the politics of division and embrace the reality that immigrants, including Haitians, are an essential part of the American story.

We refuse to let fear and hatred dictate our future. We will continue to speak out, to stand together, and to reject the lies that seek to divide us. Haitians have always played a crucial role in making America what it is today, and we will continue to do so, no matter the obstacles we face.

Numa St. Louis is a Democratic committeeperson, policy adviser, and legislative spokesperson based in Mount Airy.