Singer John Legend lectures hometown to 'embrace' Haitian migrants, dismisses pet-eating claims in Ohio city
Musician, a native of Springfield, Ohio, says migrants 'hardworking' and 'ambitious'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Singer-songwriter John Legend took to his Instagram account Thursday following Tuesday's presidential debate to denounce and debunk former President Trump's claims that Haitian migrants were eating cats and dogs in Legend's hometown city of Springfield, Ohio.
While Springfield has seen a significant increase in the number of Haitian migrants arriving in the city, Legend dismissed the viral claims of pet-snatching and -eating.
"Nobody’s eating cats. Nobody’s eating dogs," he said in a lengthy video while donning a white robe from his Beverly Hills mansion more than 2,200 miles away from Springfield. "The bottom line is these people came to Springfield because there were jobs for them, and they were willing to work."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FOCUS GROUP REACTS TO TRUMP CLAIM THAT MIGRANTS ARE 'EATING THE DOGS' IN OHIO TOWN
Pop star John Legend has urged people in his home city of Springfield, Ohio, to embrace the influx of Haitian immigrants amid former President Donald Trump's claims that they were eating residents' pets. (Getty Images/Michael Lee)
Captioning his post "How about we love one another. See each other’s humanity…. Let’s talk about Springfield, Ohio," the Grammy- and Oscar-winning entertainer said he was born "John R. Stephens" and raised in Springfield. He urged residents to show "grace" to the roughly 15,000 immigrants who have arrived there.
"They wanted to live the American dream, just like your German ancestors, your Irish ancestors, your Italian ancestors, your Jewish ancestors. Your Jamaican ancestors, your Polish ancestors - all these ancestors who moved to this country," Legend continued in his video.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Musician John Legend rehearses prior to the start of the third day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago last month. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Thousands of Haitians have arrived in Springfield since the COVID-19 pandemic, and residents have been pointing to an uptick in crime, mayhem and car crashes due to the massive influx of new residents. In a town of 58,000 people, roughly 20,000 Haitians have arrived, according to city officials.
Residents have pushed back on the influx, sharing outrage at the ongoing surge during recent city council meetings to demand action on the issue.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Legend fired back pointing out the challenges these immigrants are facing while they are just seeking "opportunity for themselves and their families in the American dream."
The Haitian community center in Springfield, Ohio, left, and a sign welcoming motorists to the city. (Michael Lee/Fox News Digital)
Online backlash to Legend's post was swift, however, with many pointing out his hypocrisy as he no longer lives in Ohio.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"You house them in your private palace then," one person commented.
"Telling us how it is while wearing a bath robe in your mansion is pretty wild. If it's so great, move the family back to Springfield," another person wrote.
"Do you still live in Springfield? I didn't know that. How many migrants are you inviting into your neighborhood?" another person commented on the post.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"So when are you opening your house to illegal immigrants???!!!! I’ll wait," another user wrote.
Charlie Kirk, founder and CEO of Turning Point USA and host of "The Charlie Kirk Show," also chimed in on X, expressing concern over Legend's post and disconnect with Americans.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"John Legend took to social media to lecture the residents of his home town Springfield to be more accommodating to the 20,000 Haitians who just swamped the town," Kirk wrote.
"Of course, John Legend doesn’t live in Springfield. Like most smug liberals, he would never in a million years live out the consequences of his ideology. Instead, he sits safely inside an $18 million Beverly Hills mansion, while belittling the pain, fear, and loss suffered by the working class people he left far behind him," Kirk said.
In response to a query from Fox News Digital, local officials pushed back against the claims surfacing online.
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"In response to recent rumors alleging criminal activity by the immigrant population in our city, we wish to clarify that there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community," the city said.
Fox News Digital's Adam Shaw and Bailee Hill contributed to this report.