Ohio
JD Vance's mic gets cut while talking about Springfield at VP debate
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance said “Kamala Harris’ open border” has “destroyed” the lives of American citizens in Springfield, Ohio, before having his mic cut by debate moderators.
In Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate on CBS, Vance claimed undocumented immigrants are pushing up home prices and overwhelming local schools across the country, at the expense of American citizens.
“In Springfield, Ohio, and in communities all across this country, you’ve got schools that are overwhelmed, you’ve got hospitals that are overwhelmed, you’ve got housing that is totally unaffordable, because we’ve brought in millions of illegal immigrants to compete with Americans for scarce homes,” the Ohio senator said.
Springfield has been the center of a national debate on immigration since former President Donald Trump claimed in his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris last month that Haitian immigrants were eating their neighbors’ cats and dogs. Local officials said they had “no credible reports” of that actually happening.
Vance, who initially raised the claim days before Trump amplified it, did not repeat it during the vice presidential debate.
But standing across from Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, Vance said undocumented immigrants are inflicting a major toll on Americans.
“The people that I’m most worried about are the American citizens that have had their lives destroyed by Kamala Harris’ open border. It is a disgrace,” Vance said.
The influx of migrants in Springfield has strained some local resources in the city. But most of the Haitian migrants there are there legally, and local officials have strongly disputed Trump and Vance’s portrayal of the city.
Local Republicans like Mayor Rob Rue and Gov. Mike DeWine have pushed back on Trump and Vance’s claims, saying that the Haitian migrants are looking for jobs, that they’re there legally, and that they have become a part of the community.
Trump has dismissed Rue and other local officials.
“The mayor of the town, I don’t know him, but he seems like a nice man, but he … doesn’t want to say anything bad. He wants to be politically correct,” Trump said at a news conference in Milwaukee on Tuesday.
At Tuesday’s debate, things grew heated around Springfield after CBS News moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan interjected to note the Haitian immigrants in Springfield have legal status before trying to move on.
Vance objected, speaking over the moderators and preventing them from asking their next question.
“The rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact-check. And since you’re fact-checking me,” Vance said, “I think it’s important to say what’s going on.”
Vance made an argument for why the Haitian migrants should not be considered legal, because their protected status was decided by the federal government after they arrived in the U.S. At recent rallies, Vance has said his interpretation of the law means they technically immigrated to the U.S. illegally.
Walz jumped into to add his own fact-check. But both were then cut off, when their microphones were muted.
The moderators had warned at the beginning of the debate that they reserved the right to cut the mics at anytime to uphold the debate rules.
Authorities arrested four adults on felony child endangerment charges after discovering 16 children in dire need of medical treatment Tuesday in a rural southern Ohio home.
The Ohio Bureau of Investigation and local sheriff’s department searched a home in the small village of Hamden, where they found the kids in what officials called “deplorable” conditions.”
“Conditions you cannot even imagine people being in, let alone children being in,” Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said at a news conference.
Law enforcement arrested Gary Siders Jr., Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders. They have not yet been arraigned and assigned public defenders.
Vinton County prosecuting attorney William Archer said they were being charged with second-degree felony child endangering because it involves “serious physical harm.”
Officials did not confirm if the children were related but said it was not a human trafficking situation. They said the adults were not locals and appeared to have been traveling.
Hamden has a population of less than 1,000 people and is about 60 miles southeast of Columbus.
The children ranged from ages 1.5 to 18 and included both boys and girls, officials said. Several were in serious conditions when found, and two had to be flown to level one trauma centers because of their injuries.
Wilson said it was the worst scene he had ever encountered in his entire career, describing what he saw as “pure evil.”
Law enforcement were also executing a secondary search warrant at the home Tuesday, and the investigation is ongoing. The four adults will appear in court Wednesday morning.
“Justice will be served for these children,” Wilson said.
UPDATE 6/30/26 @ 6:30 p.m.
VINTON COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) – Four people are in custody Tuesday after a search found 16 children inside a home in the Hamden area of Vinton County, officials said during a news conference.
“This is pure evil what we saw down here today,” said Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson, who described it as one of the worst scenes he has ever seen.
It happened in the 100 block of Ohmer Street.
Two children had to be life-flighted to trauma centers, and the victims are being treated at hospitals throughout Ohio.
Their ages range from one and a half to 18 years old.
“Lives were in danger,” officials said during the news conference, saying it has been a long-term investigation.
They said there is a secondary investigation underway at the property.
The suspects are set to be arraigned at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Vinton County Common Pleas Court.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the Vinton County Sheriff’s Office, the Vinton County Prosecutor’s Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are among the investigators.
We have a crew at the scene working to get more details. Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest.
ORIGINAL STORY
VINTON COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) – A news conference is scheduled Tuesday evening about a search warrant that was executed at a home in the Hamden area of Vinton County.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson’s office made that announcement, saying the news conference is scheduled at 6 p.m. in McArthur, Ohio.
Along with Wilson, Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain, Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer and members of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are set to attend the news conference.
The search warrant was executed at a home along Ohmer Street, with a heavy law enforcement presence reported throughout the day.
Additional details are unavailable now, but we have a crew headed to the scene.
Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest.
Copyright 2026 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
Central Ohio 2026 summer weather forecast
Weather forecasts call for a hotter- and drier-than-normal summer in the region.
The Columbus Dispatch
Central Ohio is under an extreme heat warning starting at noon due to dangerously hot conditions.
The National Weather Service in Wilmington issued the extreme heat warning from noon June 30 to 8 p.m. July 2 in central and south central Ohio as well as parts of Kentucky. The heat index will rise to about 105 degrees, the weather service said.
On June 30, there will be sunny skies and a high near 95 degrees in Columbus, according to a forecast by the weather service. The heat index will reach about 106 degrees.
Columbus will see a high of 98 both July 1 and July 2, with a heat index as high as 106 on July 2, the weather service said.
People should drink plenty of fluids, stay in air conditioned rooms and out of the sun and check on their relatives and neighbors.
People should not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles because car interiors will reach lethal temperatures in minutes, the weather service said.
Cooling centers will open June 30, and the city has waived bus fares and public pool entry fees during the heat wave.
Public safety and breaking news reporter Bailey Gallion can be reached at bagallion@dispatch.com
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