Politics
How Trump's lies about pet-eating migrants brought misery to Springfield, Ohio
A disturbing scenario has played out at public schools across Springfield, Ohio, in recent days, with children turned away as they arrive or, worse, rushed out of classrooms, all because of bomb threats.
Parents have struggled to explain to 6- and 7-year-olds what is happening. Some aren’t quite sure about sending their kids back.
“You don’t want to give in to the fear,” said a mother who asked not to be identified to protect her family. “But it’s your children.”
Runners make their way through downtown Springfield.
(Jessie Wardarski / Associated Press)
Haitians in this blue-collar city are not the only ones feeling threatened in the wake of false accusations that they are eating their neighbors’ cats and dogs — a claim parroted by former President Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance. With Springfield thrust into an angry national debate over immigration, dread has permeated neighborhoods across the city.
State troopers now stand guard outside schools and government buildings. Last weekend, suspected members of the far-right Proud Boys marched through the streets and the Ku Klux Klan distributed hate-filled leaflets. The unease is so pervasive that most residents interviewed by The Times declined to give their names, saying neighbors have been harassed for speaking to the media.
As one woman put it, daily life has been “turned upside down by such vitriol and ignorance.”
On Thursday, Springfield Mayor Rob Rue issued a proclamation granting his office “temporary emergency powers to mitigate public safety concerns.” The announcement came less than 24 hours after Trump said at a rally that he plans to visit the city of 58,000. As he has said before, he suggested Springfield was unsafe. “You might never see me again, but that’s OK. I gotta do what I gotta do,” Trump said.
Though the former president enjoys widespread support in Ohio, his arrival might not be universally welcomed.
“We knew after he said that stuff, it would be a miserable couple months here,” said a resident who asked not to be identified. She called it “so wrong on so many levels.”
The roots of the turmoil date back several years to a time when Springfield was suffering through an economic slump. Civic leaders launched a campaign to attract new businesses, eventually bringing thousands of new jobs and the need for a larger workforce.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Monday speaks at a news conference at Springfield City Hall alongside Ohio State Highway Patrol Col. Charles Jones, left; Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson, second from right; and Springfield City School Supt. Robert Hill.
(Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos / Associated Press)
An estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Haitian immigrants gravitated to the city — often from other parts of the country — under Temporary Protected Status given to them because of violent unrest in their homeland. By many accounts, they helped spark an urban renewal.
“Haitian workers pay taxes and re-invest in our local economy,” the Chamber of Commerce states on its website. “Our Haitian population is willing to work hard and adapt.”
A mural depicting Hattie Moseley, a civil rights activist who was instrumental in battling the segregation of Fulton Elementary School in Springfield, is painted on the WesBanco building on East Main Street.
(Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)
Though resident Larry Lytle said he enjoys walking through his culturally diverse neighborhood and hearing “three or four different languages,” the influx put a strain on government services, healthcare and public education. Longtime residents complained that rents were rising significantly amid increased demand for housing.
Pent-up tensions erupted last year when a Haitian immigrant driving without a valid license collided head-on with a school bus, killing an 11-year-old boy.
Phara Pierre, right, and her daughter attend a service at St. Raphael Catholic Church in Springfield.
(Jessie Wardarski / Associated Press)
The growing anger led to this summer’s “pet-eating” claims on social media. The Wall Street Journal reported that a representative from Vance’s office contacted city officials to verify the claim. He was told police had received no such reports. Vance went public with the charge anyway.
Similarly, city officials say the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has seen no evidence regarding another rumor that Haitians are killing geese in public parks for food.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine — a Republican — characterized the claims as “a lot of garbage on the internet.”
Still, Trump insisted that immigrants were “eating the dogs” during the recent presidential debate and Vance continued to push the false narrative, telling CNN: “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
Now Haitians in the community feel targeted, afraid to leave their homes.
“Some of them are scared for their life,” Rose-Thamar Joseph of a local Haitian support center told the Associated Press. “It’s tough for us.”
Members of the Haitian community in Springfield, from left, Lindsay Aime, James Fleurijean, Viles Dorsainvil and Rose-Thamar Joseph, stand for worship at Central Christian Church.
(Jessie Wardarski / Associated Press)
Residents across Springfield have suffered too, with schools, medical centers and government offices receiving dozens of bomb threats. Two Walmarts and a grocery store were temporarily evacuated.
“Yes, social services are stretched thin, along with schools and healthcare,” a resident said. “But you know who is not calling in bomb threats and who is not causing chaos and fear? The Haitians.”
Though all the threats have been hoaxes so far, advanced ticket sales for the city’s annual antiques show are reportedly lagging and officials canceled a diversity, arts and culture festival. Wittenberg University, which has also received threats, is holding classes online through the end of this week.
A Springfield educator worries about kids not old enough to understand the political context or the anxiety they might be noticing in adults around them.
“There is definitely a sense of fear and tension in the younger grades,” the educator said. “Kids pick up on that sort of thing and so you sometimes notice behavior changes when that happens.”
Volunteer Hope Kaufman teaches Haitian students English at the Haitian Community Help and Support Center in Springfield.
(Robrto Schmidt / Getty Images)
With the presidential election more than a month away — still weeks of heated rhetoric ahead — some Springfield residents sound pessimistic about the prospects of returning to normal anytime soon.
“The match was lit,” one said. “When is the fire going to be put out?”
High Street United Methodist Church had to cancel the English as a Second Language classes it hosts for safety reasons. The weekend classes are typically attended by a few dozen Haitian students. Cynthia Atwater, pastor at the church, said scared Haitian residents have asked the course’s program manager: “What should we do? Should we leave? We don’t know what to do.”
A Springfield police officer stands watch during a service in support of the Haitian community at St. Raphael Catholic Church.
(Jessie Wardarski / Associated Press)
Atwater has heard some Haitians have already decided to leave Springfield and Ohio altogether.
Atwater, who is Black, said recent events in the city have made her feel unsafe. In August, a small group of people marched downtown during a jazz and blues festival, holding swastika flags.
Last week, when Atwater stopped in a local restaurant for dinner, she couldn’t help but overhear some customers using hateful language to attack Haitian migrants. “In my mind, I’m thinking I’m a brown-skinned person and they really don’t know if I’m Haitian or not. It was apparent it didn’t matter and they didn’t care.”
She has gotten calls from faith leaders across the country asking her how they can help. “I don’t have an answer other than to pray for the people and the situation,” she said. “I don’t know how we get through this.”
Politics
EXCLUSIVE: FBI adds alleged COVID fraudster accused of taking $5M from kids’ meal program to Most Wanted list
FBI makes first arrest from its ‘most wanted fraudsters’ list
FBI Director Kash Patel announces the first arrest on the “Most Wanted Fraudsters” list. Said Ereg, a Minneapolis man, is accused of stealing over $4.2 million from a federal child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Minnesota Senate candidate Michele Tafoya emphasizes the need for accountability for fraudulent activities.
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EXCLUSIVE: The FBI is adding Fahad Mohamed Nur to its Most Wanted Fraudsters List, accusing the Minnesota businessman of allegedly stealing more than $5 million that was intended to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nur has been on the run since 2022 and is wanted for his alleged role in a fraud scheme that exploited Minnesota’s Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the FBI. The bureau alleges he owned a vendor and purported food supplier that received more than $5 million in fraudulent program funds by submitting fake invoices before laundering the proceeds.
The Bureau believes Nur has ties to Somalia and may currently be living there.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to Nur’s arrest and conviction.
OWNER OF DAYCARE IN VIRAL NICK SHIRLEY VIDEO CHARGED IN $4.6M DAYCARE FRAUD SCHEME, PROSECUTORS SAY
Fahad Mohamed Nur has been on the run since 2022 and may be in Somalia, according to the FBI. (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
Nur is the latest addition to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters List, which officials say has already resulted in the arrests of two fugitives within weeks of its launch.
“Under President Trump’s and Vice President Vance’s leadership with the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, the FBI’s historic ‘Most Wanted Fraudsters list’ has already seen tremendous success – with two subjects brought to justice in a matter of weeks, apprehended out of Somalia and the Philippines,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Patel said the early arrests demonstrate that the FBI is aggressively pursuing fugitives accused of stealing from American taxpayers.
FBI ADDS 2 FUGITIVES TO ‘MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS’ LIST AMID HISTORIC $6.5B HEALTHCARE TAKEDOWN: PATEL
FBI Director Kash Patel conducts a news conference at the Department of Justice on Thursday, December 4, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“Our newest subject – Fahad Mohamed Nur – has been on the run since 2022 for allegedly stealing over $5 million from a child nutrition program in Minnesota.”
Patel added: “Collectively, the Task Force has already uncovered more than $13 billion in fraud, and the rapid success of the Most Wanted Fraudsters List should show all Americans that this FBI will [be] at the forefront pursuing the worst of the worst who stole from hardworking American taxpayers.”
DR OZ WARNS MEDICARE SCAMMERS ARE STEALING BILLIONS — AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION COULD BE NEXT
Federal agents enter an office building as a search warrant is executed at Ultimate Home Health Services over potential Medicaid fraud, on December 18, 2025 in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States. (Christopher Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Federal officials say the investigation is part of a broader government effort targeting pandemic-era fraud.
“The Department’s robust partnership with the FBI and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud has already delivered historic results. That partnership grows even stronger today with the addition of this latest subject to the Most Wanted Fraudsters list,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “President Trump has made it clear: Fraudsters no longer have a safe haven in America. Law enforcement will continue to use every tool at its disposal to bring those who steal from American taxpayers to justice.”
The White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, led by Vice President JD Vance, has already uncovered more than $13 billion in fraud, according to the FBI.
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Anyone with information about Nur’s whereabouts is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, their local FBI office, the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
With the 2026-27 season premiere of “60 Minutes” just two months away, CBS News leadership is getting closer to deciding who will fill the recent departures of longtime correspondents Scott Pelley, Sharon Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega and Anderson Cooper.
Seth Doane, a longtime correspondent based in Italy who is often seen on “CBS Sunday Morning,” is under consideration, along with chief investigative correspondent Jim Axelrod, who currently has a lead role in the “Eye On America” series featured on the “CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil.”
Sir Trevor Phillips, a British journalist and former politician who recently joined CBS News as senior global affairs correspondent, is expected to have a role on the program, according to people briefed on the plan. Phillips had a long career in the U.K., producing and writing documentaries and most recently hosted the Sky News program “Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.”
Phillips received a knighthood in 2022 for his service to equality and human rights for the U.K. But he also generated controversy over his career for comments about the British Muslim community, which led to a yearlong suspension from the Labour Party in 2020.
A CBS News representative declined comment beyond saying the division is looking at a number of internal and external candidates.
Dokoupil is expected to deliver four “60 Minutes” pieces a season. Major Garrett, the network’s chief Washington correspondent, will also have a contributor role.
Matt Gutman, hired from ABC News last year as national correspondent, is under strong consideration. He is being put in front of test audiences, according to several people at the network.
Holly Williams, a foreign correspondent working out of Istanbul for CBS News since 2012, and Mariana van Zeller, a journalist for National Geographic Channel, are both said to remain in contention.
The newcomers will join Bill Whitaker, Leslie Stahl, Jon Wertheim and Norah O’Donnell, who are all returning as correspondents. O’Donnell will also continue in her role as senior correspondent for the network, occasionally anchoring specials.
The rebuild of the talent line-up comes after the upheaval at the program that has occurred since Bari Weiss joined CBS News as edtior in chief in October.
Longtime correspondent Scott Pelley was fired last month after confronting management about the May 28 dismissal of his colleagues Alfonsi and Vega along with the program’s executive producer Tanya Simon and her second-in-command Draggan Mihailovich.
In February, Cooper decided not to sign a new deal as a “60 Minutes” contributor, as the CNN anchor cited a desire to spend more time with his family. But Cooper has reportedly told colleagues that he does not want to work for Weiss.
The internal disruption at “60 Minutes” followed a highly successful season. In its 57th season, “60 Minutes” was the most watched news program on television with an average of 9.1 million viewers a week according to Nielsen data. The program bucked the overall decline in traditional TV viewing by growing 9 percent over the previous season.
After the dismissal of his “60 Minutes” colleagues, Pelley accused Weiss of trying to “murder” the program and claimed she was putting “her thumb on the scale” for more favorable coverage of the Trump administration. He was fired with cause after confronting management at a June 1 meeting.
Weiss came to CBS when parent company Paramount acquired her digital web site The Free Press, known for its criticism of progressive policies and its strong support of Israel.
Weiss was hired by Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison with a mandate to move the news division to the political center. The pronouncement has created the perception that CBS News is looking to placate the Trump administration as Paramount sought regulatory approval for its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which will also give the company ownership of CNN.
The noise surrounding Weiss has hurt CBS News despite strong reporting that is often far from being pro-MAGA. This past weekend’s “CBS Sunday Morning” featured a segment from national security correspondent David Martin about the Department of Defense interfering with the editorial independence of Stars & Stripes, the military newspaper.
Trump complained vehemently about his last interview with O’Donnell on “60 Minutes,” — conducted the day after a gunman tried to enter the White House Correspondents Assn. dinner in Washington on April 25.
Politics
Abbott orders probe after Texas hospital advertises ‘birth packages’ in Mexico: ‘Citizenship is not for sale’
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered an investigation into a Texas hospital Tuesday after it confirmed to Fox News that it advertised Spanish-language “Birth Packages in South Texas” on billboards in Mexico promoting childbirth services to pregnant foreign nationals near the U.S.-Mexico border.
Mission Regional Medical Center confirmed to Fox News that it was responsible for the advertising campaign, which promoted deliveries starting at $3,950 for a natural birth and $5,525 for a C-section and directed viewers to a website, havemybabyinTEXAS.com, that has since been taken offline.
The billboards also displayed a telephone number beginning with “001,” the country code used to place calls to the United States from Mexico.
‘WEAPONS OF MASS REPRODUCTION’: WATCHDOG UNVEILS ACTION PLAN TO CURB BIRTH TOURISM AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING
Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a bill signing in the State Capitol on April 23, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
“The marketing materials regarding maternity services are no longer in use due to any unintended misunderstanding,” a hospital spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. “We do not support or facilitate any unlawful activity and work to comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations.”
The spokesperson said the campaign included two billboards located within approximately five miles of the hospital near a U.S.-Mexico border crossing. The hospital said both billboards and the website were removed Monday after images began circulating on social media. The spokesperson also said the campaign began in 2021 but did not specify when the billboards were installed.
Abbott on Tuesday directed Texas Health and Human Services Commission Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth to investigate Mission Regional Medical Center for potential violations of state law and contractual obligations.
REPUBLICAN ACCUSES SCOTUS OF BETRAYING US, PUSHES BILL RESTRICTING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, PREGNANT VISITORS
A Spanish-language billboard promotes birth packages at Mission Regional Medical Center, advertising pricing for natural deliveries and C-sections in South Texas. (Right Angle News)
Images of the billboard circulated on social media before the hospital said it removed the advertisements Monday.
“Birth tourism’ is an illegal practice that exploits the extraordinary hospitality that the United States and Texas offer to millions of foreign travelers each year,” Abbott wrote in a July 7 letter obtained by Fox News. “Unfortunately, thousands of foreign travelers come to the United States under false pretenses to give birth and secure citizenship for their children.”
TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP
An English-language billboard promotes birth packages at Mission Regional Medical Center, advertising pricing for natural deliveries and C-sections in South Texas. (Right Angle News)
Abbott directed HHSC to “immediately and thoroughly investigate” the hospital and said any violations should be referred to the Texas Attorney General for civil enforcement and to the appropriate district or county attorney for potential criminal prosecution.
“American citizenship is not for sale and Texas will not permit our healthcare system to be used as a magnet for birth tourism,” Abbott wrote.
The governor also said he plans to work with the Texas Legislature during its next session “to strengthen state law and eliminate birth tourism in Texas.”
“Unfortunately, birth tourism operations are not a new phenomenon,” General Counsel of the Oversight Project Kyle Brosnan said to Fox News Digital in a statement. “The Supreme Court’s egregiously wrong decision in the birthright citizenship case is going to open the floodgates to the birth tourism industry. Our country is much more than a pile of magic dirt. The only answer to these type of practices are criminal investigations and the mass deportation of illegal aliens.”
Mission Regional Medical Center also said it intends to cooperate with state officials.
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“We intend to work cooperatively and transparently with local and state officials,” the hospital said in a statement obtained by Fox News. “Our focus remains on delivering safe, high-quality care to every patient who seeks our services.”
The investigation comes as President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to limit automatic birthright citizenship for some children born in the United States remains the subject of ongoing legal challenges.
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