Springfield immigrant rumors persist amid security threats

Catch up quick: The town of around 60,000 residents located 45 miles west of Columbus has been in the political spotlight since last week's debate, when former President Trump mentioned viral online claims about immigrants eating other residents' cats and dogs.

• On Sunday, vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) contended on NBC's "Meet the Press" that his "constituents are saying these things are happening."
• Vance acknowledged on X on Sept. 10, the morning of the debate, that the rumors could "turn out to be false."

The latest: Six buildings in the Springfield City School District have been targeted by threats, including two elementary schools evacuated Monday.

• Gov. Mike DeWine is sending the Ohio State Highway Patrol to provide extra security starting Tuesday at all 18 district school buildings.
• Clark State College is operating remotely this week after a shooting threat, while Wittenberg University went remote Monday after receiving a bomb threat, which the FBI is investigating.
• The city has canceled its upcoming CultureFest out of safety concerns.

What they're saying: "It would be helpful if they understood the weight of their words and how they could harm a community like ours," the mayor said on CNN Sunday when asked about Vance's repeated amplification of the rumors.

• DeWine has defended the town's immigrants and called the rumors "a piece of garbage that was simply not true."

Between the lines: The governor's comments came days after allocating $2.5 million to expand access to primary care for people living in Springfield.

• DeWine previously provided support for translation services and resources for a surge of migrant students, a statement said.

The big picture: Former President Trump has promised his plan to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, if elected, would start in Springfield.

Reality check: The Haitian immigrants are legally living and working in Ohio under the Temporary Protected Status program, the Springfield News-Sun reported.