President of the Largest Healthcare Union in the US Condemns Trump’s Racist Attacks Against Haitians

NEW YORK, New York – The largest health care union in the United States has joined in strongly condemning false rumors being spread by former President Donald J. Trump and his Republican running mate, JD Vance, about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio eating the pets of their neighbors.

“The caregivers of 1199SEIU stand in solidarity with the Haitian community in the face of vicious, racist attacks by Donald Trump and JD Vance,” said President of the New York-headquartered  United Healthcare Workers East, George Gresham.

The union represents over 450,000 caregivers and Gresham told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) on Tuesday that with no real plan to improve the lives of the American people, Trump and the Republicans resort to the same old authoritarian playbook of spreading hate and blaming immigrants for the challenges the country is facing.

He said his union is proud to have many thousands of members who belong to the Haitian Diaspora.

“The contributions of Haitians to the field of healthcare and to our labour movement are extraordinary. We deeply value the richness of culture, language and fortitude that Haitian communities add to the diversity of our nation. We reject the politics of hate and division.

“In this election, we cannot let the Republican Party and their billionaire donors deflect attention from their efforts to take away our freedoms, erode workers’ rights and weaken our democracy.  We will hold them accountable and turn this page of history by electing Kamala Harris our next president,” he said.  ‘

On Sunday, Vance, a US senator from Ohio, doubled-down on false rumors about Haitian immigrants in Springfield eating the pets.

“The American media totally ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I started talking about cat memes. If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do,” he said.

But Springfield Mayor Rob Rue urged Vance and other Republican politicians against spreading false rumors about Haitian immigrants to understand “the weight of their words,” stating that the city is undergoing “a very difficult time.”

“We have been shined under a spotlight that is so bright that it’s hard to see some of the things that we actually need to be focusing on, and that’s been difficult for sure,” he said.

“We’re concerned about the security in our community, and we’re focused on that right now,” Rue added.

Ohio Republic Govenor Mike DeWine, also dismissed the false stories about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, instead lauding their work ethic.

“Let me tell you what we do know, though. What we know is that the Haitians who are in Springfield are legal. They came to Springfield to work,” he added.

Caribbean legislators in New York have been strongly condemning the spread of false right-wing rhetoric, including by. Trump and Vance, targeting Haitian migrants, and further escalating tensions and spreading misinformation.

The threats come amid bomb threats that have disrupted Springfield, Ohio schools.