A quiet Midwestern community has become the latest battleground over immigration after Republicans leveled unfounded claims that Haitians were kidnapping and eating neighbors’ pets.

The city of Springfield, Ohio, had roughly 60,000 residents as of 2022. In the two years since then, thousands of migrants have arrived, mostly from Haiti. Although some have welcomed the new neighbors, others have lamented the change and said it has taken a toll on city resources.