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00:00Bomb threats are closing schools, and businesses are shuttering at sundown in Springfield,
00:05Ohio after the small town became the center of conspiracy theories targeting its Haitian
00:10immigrant community.
00:12After fleeing gang violence in Haiti, many newcomers are worried about the possibility
00:17of hate crimes as Republicans, such as Donald Trump, stir tensions over the influx of immigrants.
00:23I would understand if someone decided to leave Springfield because the threat, like
00:29I said before, is well.
00:31But for myself, I don't think it's the best decision.
00:36It's not like the entire community, like all American citizens, try to chase us.
00:44It's like a tiny group.
00:46City officials have been trying to counter false rumors that Haitian immigrants have
00:51been eating local cats and dogs, rumors that Trump repeated vociferously during the presidential
00:56debate against Kamala Harris on Tuesday.
00:59Even though the claims have been repeatedly debunked, Trump has not apologized.
01:04Instead, he dug in his heels on his anti-immigrant rhetoric on Friday.
01:09I'm angry about Venezuelan gangs taking over Aurora, Colorado, and I'm angry about illegal
01:17Haitian migrants taking over Springfield, Ohio.
01:22You see that mess, don't you?
01:24The White House denounced what it called hateful language targeting Haitian immigrants.
01:30Political leaders should not be attacking vulnerable communities.
01:34That's not who we should be.
01:36And if they're going to fall for conspiracy theories online, maybe they shouldn't be our
01:43leaders.
01:44It is dangerous.
01:46It puts people's lives at risk.
01:48Both Harris and Trump have talked about toughening border security and staunching the flow of
01:53people entering the country illegally.
01:55But only Trump has promised the largest mass deportation of illegal immigrants in American
02:01history.