During the vice presidential debate on CBS, Republican nominee JD Vance claimed that Kamala Harris’ open border policies have resulted in American citizens in towns like Springfield, Ohio having their lives destroyed. Vance argued that undocumented immigrants are driving up home prices, overwhelming local schools, and making housing unaffordable for Americans. He also criticized Harris for allowing millions of illegal immigrants to compete with Americans for scarce resources.
Vance’s claims were met with pushback from local officials in Springfield, who stated that most of the Haitian migrants in the city are there legally and are seeking job opportunities. They disputed claims made by former President Donald Trump that Haitian immigrants were eating pets. Despite this, Vance continued to argue that the migrants should not be considered legal, as their protected status was decided after they arrived in the U.S.
The moderators of the debate fact-checked some of Vance’s claims, leading to him objecting and speaking over them. Eventually, Vance and his opponent, Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, had their microphones cut by the moderators, as they were enforcing the debate rules. The local Republican officials in Springfield have supported the Haitian migrants and rejected the portrayal of the city presented by Vance and Trump. The debate highlighted the contentious issue of immigration and its impact on American communities like Springfield.
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