'It's hurtful': Haitians on Long Island reel from GOP's claims on eating pets

Many Haitian Americans on Long Island are expressing hurt, betrayal and worry after former President Donald Trump elevated falsehoods that immigrants from the Caribbean nation were stealing and eating pets in Ohio.

At Bethany French Baptist Church in Elmont on Thursday, Haitian American leaders and others called on local Republican officials to denounce Trump’s unsubstantiated claims made during Tuesday’s debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.

The rhetoric amplified by Trump, vice presidential candidate Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and several other Republicans, they say, was inflammatory, particularly as the island reels from unrest that has left thousands of people dead. Many told Newsday they worry the comments will embolden harmful stereotypes about Haitians instead of seeing the contributions their communities make to America. 

"We have to correct the record where there is a lot of false statements and say that this is unacceptable," said Nassau County Legis. Carrié Solages, who is of Haitian descent, at a news conference Thursday. "And we're asking them to retract, to apologize and to unite this country."

Wendy Gregg, who lives in West Hempstead, said Haitians "contribute so much to the American society."

She added, "And to hear something like that, it’s hurtful."

Gregg, who is Haitian and in her 50s, later added: "I don't think JD Vance and Trump ... realize the psychological effect and trauma that is occurring in the Haitian community as a whole."

Elvire Naar, 65, said the rhetoric has upset her entire family.

"Enough is enough," said Naar, who lives in Valley Stream. "Come on, give us a break. We have enough [trouble] of our own, so we don’t want anything on top of that."

Nassau County has about 22,000 residents of Haitian descent, the American Community Survey has said. Suffolk has about 11,300 people of Haitian descent. Springfield, Ohio has been the home to roughly 15,000 legal Haitian immigrants, according to the city's estimates. 

 The origin of the unfounded claim seems to be a private Facebook group called "Springfield Ohio Crime and Information," according to NewsGuard, an apolitical fact-checking organization launched in 2018 by journalist Steven Brill and news executive Gordon Crovitz.

On Monday, the police issued a statement "to clarify that there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community." Messages to the Springfield police department asking them to expand on their statement were not returned.

Vance later said on social media that his office received inquiries that Haitian migrants were stealing pets. Vance said Tuesday it was possible “all of these rumors will turn out to be false.”

Trump stirred uproar when he repeated the claim on the debate stage on Tuesday.

Nassau GOP Chairman Joseph Cairo called the outrage over the conspiracy theories involving immigrants "democratic rhetoric."

County Executive Bruce Blakeman said Trump’s comments were not directed at the Haitian American community and that "we actually believe that President Trump will do very well in the Haitian American community."

When Uniondale resident Kedner Stiven heard Trump’s words, he was offended.

"I was hurt, and then I’m still hurting because they’re still doubling down about this," said Stiven, 66.

But soon afterward he called family and friends, asking them to gather together and to write letters to denounce the racist statements, he said.

Stiven said the event at Bethany French Baptist Church is just the start.

"Let's push this thing," he said. "Don't stop."

With John Asbury, The Associated Press and The Washington Post 

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Education: Howard University 

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith came to Newsday in 2023 after being a race and history reporter at USA TODAY, where she wrote enterprise and spot articles examining how the past shapes the present. Previously, she worked as the race and justice reporter at the USA TODAY Network of New York, covering issues such as criminal justice reform, housing, environmental justice, health care and politics. At The Journal News/lohud.com in Westchester County, she covered Yonkers, the state's third-largest city. She also worked at The Associated Press in Atlanta.

Honors and Awards: Criminal justice reporting fellowship with the National Press Foundation;  New York News Publishers Association award for distinguished investigative reporting;  Contributed reporting for Best of Gannett honor; Member of Table Stakes, a program funded by the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and managed by the American Press Institute to transform local news.