Trump vows mass deportation of migrants in Springfield, dismisses threats to town

Former President Donald Trump on Friday said he would conduct a mass deportation of immigrants living in Springfield, Ohio, and dismissed a question from ABC News on the bomb threats the town is experiencing in the wake of unsubstantiated claims about Haitian migrants.

“We’re going to have the largest deportation in the history of our country,” Trump said as he took reporter questions in Los Angeles, California. “And we’re going to start with Springfield and Aurora, [Colorado].”

The remark comes after Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, amplified unsubstantiated claims of Haitian migrants in Springfield eating pets. Trump did not repeat the baseless rumor when speaking in California, but called the Haitian migrants “illegal” despite the city explaining the Haitian population is in the U.S. legally under the Immigration Parole Program.

Two schools were evacuated and another was closed in Springfield on Friday after bomb threats were sent “to multiple agencies and media outlets” in the city, according to the city commission office. The mayor said he believes these threats are directly connected to the unfounded rumors spread online about Haitian migrants.

ABC News Senior National Correspondent Terry Moran asked Trump, “The mayor of Springfield, Ohio, the police chief, the Republican governor of Ohio, have all debunked this story about people eating pets, and now there are bomb threats at schools and kids being evacuated. Why do you still spread this false story?

“The real threat is what’s happening at our border,” Trump said, dismissing the question about threats to the city. “Because you have thousands of people being killed by illegal migrants coming in and also dying.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.