The rising Republican congressman challenging Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) in a crucial race that could determine control of Congress on Saturday blamed the Harris-Biden administration for creating Springfield's now-infamous immigration crisis.
“We need to make sure we have empathy for people who are suffering around the world,” Republican candidate Bernie Moreno said at a rally at a restaurant in Springfield, Ohio, on Saturday.
“Legitimate Haitians in the country are now being despised and put in a bad situation by people like Kamala Harris and Sherrod Brown. They are a disgrace.
“Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and their number one ally, Sherrod Brown, have created mass immigration that is completely unacceptable,” the 57-year-old car dealer added.
Moreno's comments come as Springfield, located about 50 miles west of Columbus, has drawn national attention for its immigration crisis.
Republican candidate Donald Trump highlighted the influx of 60,000 Haitian immigrants to the city during Tuesday's presidential debate with Democratic candidate Harris.
“They're eating dogs, they're eating people who come in, they're eating cats,” the former president alleged while answering a question about immigration. “They're eating the pets of people who live there. This is what's going on in our country, and it's unfortunate.”
Local officials and several media outlets have since disputed Trump's claims, but many longtime Springfield residents have complained that the thousands of Haitian refugees who have arrived there don't understand local laws and customs, including how to drive safely.
