The stereotype of immigrants eating dogs and cats is storied — and vitriolic as ever

This story first appeared in NPR's live blog of the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. See how the night unfolded.

It was understood that immigration would be front and center during Tuesday night’s presidential debate. More surprising was that the conversation veered into bizarre falsehoods about migrants eating pet dogs and cats in Ohio.

While certainly strange, these accusations are hardly unprecedented. In fact, there’s a long history of accusing immigrants of eating cats and dogs.

For context, in the last few days, vice presidential candidate JD Vance has echoed a rumor about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio eating people’s pets. Springfield, a city of around 60,000, has received 15,000 to 20,000 migrants in the last four years, many from Haiti.

Mayor Rob Rue recently told NPR the influx has led to the city struggling with basic infrastructure. Schools and hospitals are spread thin, and an existing housing crisis has exacerbated. It’s led to tension, as well as unfounded rumors about gang activity, voodoo practices and eating of cats, dogs and park ducks.

The Springfield police has denied the claims.

And yet, tales of migrants eating pets spread throughout social media like wildfire. So did the memes and AI images of former President Donald Trump saving kittens and dogs in the hours leading up to the debate.

It even made it to the debate itself.

"They're eating the dogs, the people that came in, they're eating the cats," Trump said during an answer to a question about immigration. "They're eating the pets of the people that live there, and this is what's happening in our country, and it's a shame."

Vice President Harris looked away and laughed at the comments while moderator David Muir