deploying state troopers to reassure residents in Springfield, Ohio.

It comes after more than 30 bomb threats had been made targeting schools, hospitals and city hall.

The threats have come after the town became a focal point in last week's presidential debate when Donald Trump falsely claimed Haitian immigrants were stealing and eating people's pets.

Officials and police there have denied these claims.

Here to talk more about the impact, our Illinois Attorney General, Kwame Raoul DePaul University political science professor Clements, the and via Zoom.

We have Columbus, Ohio, community advocate, Sophie, it Peerless.

Thanks to all 3 of you for joining us.

So first, I want to get your reaction to former President Trump perpetuating this claim that he made during last week's debate Clementa DB.

Let's start with you, please.

Thank you very much for having me.

>> The east is very disturbing.

I think if I'm a president of the United States should not do something like that.

But he's been there when Obama was president.

He he did, too.

But the reason thing got with it and we thought that that's gone.

Now he's been president.

So why do these is just half And that's really what it takes.

>> Well, when I when I first heard it, wow, at a debate watch party and I thought to myself, oh, great.

It shows hit his mental incompetence too.

Operate in Oval Office.

And they, you know, I even laughed at it myself, not thinking about the detrimental effect.

It has by way of people who blindly follow him.

Acting upon upon it.

And so and I even in the days that followed, I left that means and so forth.

And then we started hearing about bomb threats and other threats and then then you start thinking about the gravity of this and that as a professor said, this is not his first time we talked about S hole countries several years ago and it ended straight a lack of appreciation of the contributions that Haitians have made to this country from the outset of this country's existence.

Sophia, peerless in question to you.

What was your reaction when you heard the president say that last week?

>> I was shocked because I do not think that you want them actually put national committee coming season.

And but I wasn't surprised.

I was upset, but I was Matthew's price because it's not the first time being used is rhetoric.

He here years the Mexican before.

The use, Muslim before.

So now is patients in the last when he was not a was before the president.

You could some going rate which intense us before.

So is disturbing because a leader should be an example to greet simple.

So when need their own is saying certain things that will affect the whole nation.

A whole community.

I think it's the right thing to this kind of stuff.

I was very angry.

But right nothing of it.

>> Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.

He didn't dismiss the claim as about migrants eating pets as, quote, false piece of garbage and the claims have been debunked over and over.

As we all know, even some of the people who made social media post that originally fed this fire, they, too, expressed regret over what they've done and what they said.

But attorney general is the damage already done by then?

>> Certainly because Donald Trump does have a following.

I know Governor Jindal DeWine, I have actually travel to Haiti with him 2008 and he has an appreciation affinity for for a personal affinity for Haiti.

And so I I commend Governor DeWine for pointing out that allegations are unfounded.

On the other hand, my counterpart in Ohio, the attorney general did the opposite, as did JD Vance, the senator from Ohio, vice president.

And and so if you have officials from the state saying it and then you have Donald Trump that has line following.

we've already seen what they'll by way of interest, insurrection with regards to things that come out of his mouth.

It's it's a dangerous situation.

I do appreciate I actually had outreach from the hate head of Jewish United Fund offering a for for patients and and and the high.

>> Sophia.

What conversations are you having with the larger Haitian community there in Ohio?

>> The conversation is education.

Educating, too.

And that would benefit them because so many fled their country because political instability.

they wanted safe place to and many of them trouble from country to country.

I'm trying to find the peace and safety, they were hoping to find a Many of them didn't make it and already started a life.

And they had the find a good job.

We're kidding.

Thank you.

And good Many of them over the building business in Central Ohio and they're well.

And the composition is to come to them.

So that do not need that.

The fake then because wouldn't believe it or meant to his will Trump being traumatized.

His will I able to be stable and then now people see you too.

ended up in everything behind Ron because you anything in life, it's a repeat of what the be facing gone home.

My position within the schedule, keeping them to not fear to stay calm and to be able to report any allegations, accusations, anything so that we can have vitriol.

>> So if your house has this impacted, you and your family personally.

>> And the vocal was a vocal in advocating for everyone that only the patients and then because I was so vocal, I was threatened.

Okay.

sorry.

don't Yeah.

Yeah.

people to dig into the details with them.

My kids, my children and myself.

I'll be tracking witness.

>> I'm sorry to hear that.

And I hope that you and your remain Vice President Harris.

She spoke to the National Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia earlier today where she condemned what the former president said last week.

>> And we've got to say that you cannot be interested.

With standing behind the seal of the president of the United States of America.

Engaging in that hateful.

Rhetoric that as usual.

Is designed.

To divide us as a country.

>> Ag, what is the current administration need to do to better support migrant communities?

>> Well, I think as president has done, we need to call it out for what it is and we need to make sure that we speak to the fact that people here legally.

Who are contributing to the economy, that there's a long history of Haitians Haitian-americans Haitian immigrants contributing his country.

And it's ironic and that the U.S. attorney in southern Florida that's responding to the assassination attempt Mr. Trump.

And born in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, who serving as U.S. attorney is just one more example of of the contributions that haitian-americans have have made.

But I think the vice president.

Made a critical point.

It's demonstration of the danger.

Of letting Donald Trump any wind near the Oval Office again.

And to be clear, the immigrant community in Springfield, Ohio, they're all here under a protected status because of the status what's happening in your home country right now.

>> There's also been a lot of social media post about this topic.

You know, as we stated, you know, sort of making fun of President Trump for restating the story.

But as we discussed their, you know, we're looking at some of those tweets right now, but they're real world implications commented, E-bay.

Can you think of other instances where, you know, specific ethnic groups have been used as basically political All my God.

>> We don't want to go I was born in major area in Africa.

This is the kind of qualities you want to run away We've seen that over and over again.

All report that just came out from Sweeting.

Form, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

K just publish reports.

In past Well, let's say BT 2008.

And 2022.

For it.

Did no more people participate in the elections.

U.S. and points.

People move within Baucus is any more people no longer.

Very complimentary about democracy on Portsmouth.

These does not help.

And this is the United States.

We need.

The Democratic So what president has done really to to to make journey a lot more difficult for society's ever went at it to build democracy.

And that is the that a stay.