Politicians in the US state of Ohio are trying to dispel baseless rumors that Haitian immigrants in a city there are eating the pets of its residents.

The allegations leaked through right-wing media and were amplified by Donald Trump during his presidential debate with Kamala Harris on Tuesday.

“This is something that came up on the internet, and the internet can be pretty crazy sometimes,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.

On Tuesday, a father in the city of Springfield accused Republicans of politically exploiting the death of his son in a car accident caused by a Haitian migrant.

According to authorities, about 15,000 migrants of Haitian origin have settled in Springfield, a city in southwest Ohio with fewer than 60,000 residents, in recent years.

Some residents have expressed frustration with the influx, saying the new residents are overwhelming city resources, from housing to health care.

But criticism has taken a different turn in recent weeks as unsubstantiated claims emerged on social media that the new migrants were kidnapping and eating animals, from domestic cats and dogs to park ducks.

Trump, his running mate JD Vance, the world’s richest man Elon Musk and other conservatives have amplified the reports.

Local officials have expressed doubts about the viral stories.

Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said Tuesday: “We have not been able to verify any credible reports or specific allegations that pets belonging to individuals from the immigrant community have been harmed, injured or mistreated.”

“The news of a cat being killed or eaten did not come from Springfield,” he added. “It actually involved a Canton woman who was arrested last month for animal cruelty.”

Canton is a city in Ohio northeast of Springfield.

“I think we’re following what the mayor says,” Governor DeWine told CBS on Wednesday. “He knows his city.”

DeWine, a moderate Republican who is supporting Trump’s re-election bid, has promised to invest in Springfield’s health and education systems to address the city’s “unprecedented” population growth, but he also defended newcomers.

“These Haitians came here to work because there were jobs, and they filled a lot of positions. And when you talk to the employers, they did a very, very good job and worked very, very hard,” he said.

Tensions are rising in Springfield, and on Thursday authorities closed City Hall after reports of a bomb threat. It is not yet known whether the threat is related to the immigration controversy.

“As a precautionary measure, the building has been evacuated and authorities are currently conducting a thorough investigation,” the mayor’s office said. on Facebook.

Last August, public safety concerns increased after a Haitian immigrant without a valid U.S. driver’s license drove his minivan into a school bus.

One student, 11-year-old Aiden Clark, died when the bus overturned and he was thrown from the bus. 20 others were hospitalized.

The driver, Hermanio Joseph, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide and sentenced to nine to 13.5 years in prison.

On Monday, the Trump campaign’s X-Account posted side-by-side photos of Clark and Joseph and attacked Vice President Harris’ immigration policies ahead of the presidential debate.

“REMEMBER: 11-year-old Aiden Clark was killed on his way to school by a Haitian migrant that Kamala Harris allowed into the country in Springfield, Ohio,” the caption read.

At a city council meeting the next day, Aiden’s father, Nathan, said he wished his child had been killed “by a 60-year-old white man” so that “this incessant group of hateful people would leave us alone.”

The Trump campaign team told the BBC that it extended its “deepest condolences to the Clark family on the loss of their son.”

“We hope the media will continue to report on the very real suffering and tragedy experienced by the people of Springfield, Ohio due to the influx of illegal Haitian immigrants into their community,” the campaign said.

Just hours after Clark’s speech, Trump repeated claims that Haitian immigrants eat pets in a prime-time televised debate watched by more than 67 million viewers.