During a panel discussion on CNN’s “NewsNight with Abby Phillip,” a political analyst accused a Republican panelist of “playing on racist tropes” while discussing the influx of Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio. The panel was discussing the situation in Springfield, where the city has struggled to handle the influx of at least 20,000 Haitian migrants, leading to an increase in traffic accidents and skyrocketing housing prices.
One of the panelists, former Trump administration official Tricia McLaughlin, explained why residents of Springfield felt that their town was being “overrun” by the migrants. “I haven‘t seen any evidence that there’s any dead cats or dogs at the hands of anyone, much less these migrants who are, like you said, here legally,” McLaughlin said. She went on to explain that the citizens in Springfield are concerned about the chaos and unsafe conditions caused by the influx of migrants, and pointed to failed federal policy as the root cause.
But CNN host Abby Phillip took issue with McLaughlin’s use of the word “overrun,” claiming that it was “part of the problem.” Phillip cited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio, who had expressed concern over initial reports of a pet cat being killed and used for food by the migrants. Phillip called the use of language like “overrun” and “invasion” as “designed to make people feel like there is some kind of invasion.”
McLaughlin pushed back, stating that the citizens on the ground in Springfield are the ones using these words to describe their situation. “Let’s also listen to these people’s concerns,” she urged. “I don’t think it’s fair to pick apart rhetoric when these people are having real problems.”
But another panelist, Natasha Alford from TheGrio, argued that the use of terms like “overrun” and “invasion” were a result of “being primed” by former President Donald Trump’s rhetoric. “They’ve been listening to a president which has been fearmongering, scapegoating these individuals, these communities, playing on racist tropes,” she claimed. “Those were countries with predominantly black and brown people, and one of them was Haiti.”
Alford went on to argue that Trump’s rhetoric “dehumanizes” Haitian migrants. But the evidence suggests otherwise. The initial claims about pets vanishing were amplified by other reports about the behavior of the migrants, including their disregard for traffic laws. A reporter from the New York Post even witnessed a traffic accident caused by a migrant driver.
But according to the panelists on CNN, acknowledging these facts is “offensive” and “problematic.” McLaughlin later posted on Twitter, “To say that stating the facts is offensive/problematic is simply dismissing the testimony & suffering of the citizens of Springfield, OH and the welfare of those migrants.” This kind of dismissive attitude towards the concerns of American citizens is exactly what fuels the divide between the liberal media and the American people.
These are the facts: 20k migrants were dropped into a town of 60k people in less than 3 years. Springfield’s medical systems, schools, social services & housing infrastructure are not setup for such a drastic population increase. Yes, the infrastructure is being *overrun.* To say… pic.twitter.com/m0RL1uGEVO
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) September 14, 2024
The liberal media chooses to ignore the real issues and concerns of American citizens, instead opting to label anyone who speaks out against illegal immigration as “racist.” But the citizens of Springfield, Ohio are facing real problems caused by the influx of Haitian migrants, and they deserve to be heard. It’s time for the media to stop playing on racist tropes and start listening to the voices of American citizens.