The Story Behind ‘They’re Eating the Pets’

2024/9/13

The Daily

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Springfield, Ohio, a once-prosperous industrial town, experienced a decline but revitalized its economy by attracting businesses. A labor shortage led to a large influx of Haitian immigrants, who contributed to the city's economic recovery but also strained resources like schools and housing, creating tension. A tragic school bus accident involving a Haitian driver intensified these tensions, becoming a focal point in the immigration debate.

Springfield, Ohio, experienced economic decline and subsequent revitalization.
A large influx of Haitian immigrants filled labor shortages but also strained resources.
A school bus accident involving a Haitian driver intensified tensions and fueled the immigration debate.

Shownotes Transcript

At this week’s presidential debate, Donald J. Trump went into an unprompted digression about immigrants eating people’s pets. While the claims were debunked, the topic was left unexplained.

Miriam Jordan, who covers the impact of immigration policies for The Times, explains the story behind the shocking claims and the tragedy that gave rise to them.

Guest: Miriam Jordan), a national immigration correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading:

A local official said there was “absolutely no evidence”) for the outlandish claim about Haitian migrants that Mr. Trump and his campaign have amplified.
How an Ohio town landed in the middle of the immigration debate).

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily). Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

The Story Behind ‘They’re Eating the Pets’ 30:38 Share

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Shownotes Transcript

The Story Behind ‘They’re Eating the Pets’