(RNS) — The most talked about moment from last Tuesday’s debate has turned out to be not the two candidates’ policy differences on health care or housing or even any real discussion about immigration but, rather, Donald Trump’s claim that in Springfield, Ohio, Haitians hired by local companies are stealing and eating other people’s household pets.
“They’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats,” said Trump in answer to a question about immigration, repeating a calumny that he and his ticket mate, JD Vance, had been retailing at their campaign rallies. “They’re eating the pets of the people who live there, and that is what’s happening in this country, and it is a shame.”
The debate’s co-moderator, David Muir, the ABC news anchor whose network had actually fact-checked the claim, responded that the Springfield city manager had told ABC “there had been no credible reports of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by people in the city’s immigrant community.”
Trump responded, “I’ve seen people on television who said immigrants were eating the pets of people who lived there.”
Outlandish? Yes. Farcical? Absolutely. But also sinister and revealing. It’s important when faced with a serial liar’s untruths to go beyond a shrug that says “That’s just Trump!” and examine what and who the person lies about most. It’s likely the key to the compulsion that leads to the lies.
Over and over again, when it comes to Trump, the lies are about migrants, refugees, asylum seekers. Trump strategically lies about those who are racially different from white Americans, his base whom he tries to make angrier and angrier. While saying he wouldn’t mind more immigrants from Norway, Trump has consistently demonized immigrants, calling them “rapists” and “criminals.” He accuses them of bringing in drugs and disease. Lately he has portrayed them as inmates of prisons and insane asylums, members of terrorist organizations and gangs, all coming to do us harm.
Migrants seeking asylum line up while waiting to be processed after crossing the border Wednesday, June 5, 2024, near San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)
In truth the people seeking to come to America are those Jesus told us to welcome. In the 25th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says how we welcome the stranger, demonstrates how we welcome or don’t welcome him. The word “stranger” in the gospel text literally means “immigrant” and “refugee.” Jesus says, “As you have done to the least of these, you have done to me.”
Anyone who has contact with the families and children coming from south of the U.S.-Mexican border know that these constant attacks are based on lies. Demagogues don’t like data, but the data on immigrants shows that migrants commit fewer crimes than native U.S. citizens. Undocumented immigrants can’t vote, and don’t, despite the Republicans’ repetition of a myth that the flood of “illegal aliens” are being welcomed to support Democrats.