Ohio man slams Trump, Vance for politicising son's death in immigration row

New Delhi,UPDATED: Sep 11, 2024 20:50 IST

During Tuesday's presidential debate, Donald Trump referenced Springfield, Ohio, as an example to criticise immigration and attack Kamala Harris. He alleged, "Look at Springfield, Ohio, or Aurora, Colorado. Immigrants are taking over towns, violently occupying buildings. These are the people Biden and Harris have allowed in, and they are destroying our country. They're dangerous and at the highest level of criminality."

Meanwhile, in Springfield, just an hour before the debate, Nathan Clark, father of an 11-year-old boy named Aiden who died in a crash involving an immigrant’s vehicle, spoke out against Trump and his ally JD Vance. Speaking at a Springfield City Commission meeting, Clark condemned the politicians for exploiting his son’s death to spread hate.

“This needs to stop now,” he demanded.

The 11-year-old had died after a car crossed the centreline on a two-lane road and struck a school bus carrying dozens of children. Clark, who was thrown off the bus as it veered off the roadway and flipped, died on the spot.

Hermanio Joseph, a 35-year-old Haitian national, was behind the wheels of the car that caused the accident. He was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in May and faces up to nine years in prison.

The incident, which occurred over a year ago, became a flashpoint for growing tensions about the influx of Haitian immigrants to the area.

The debate intensified after JD Vance, a political ally of Trump, brought national attention to Springfield’s demographic changes, labelling them as harmful consequences of Biden's border policies. These immigrants, who have legal status and work permits, have moved to Springfield to fill jobs in manufacturing and other industries. However, Vance’s remarks have stoked fears and amplified false narratives.

The Trump campaign further escalated the issue by posting on social media about Aiden, featuring his picture alongside that of Hermanio Joseph, the Haitian immigrant involved in the crash.

Vance went a step ahead and alleged that "a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant."

However, the politicisation of Aiden Clark’s death is something that his parents never wanted and have now spoken against.

During the meeting on Tuesday, Nathan Clark, standing beside his wife Danielle, expressed his heartbreak and frustration over the manipulation of his son's death.

"I wish my son had been killed by a 60-year-old white man," he said, emphasizing that the family would have been spared from the hate-filled rhetoric.

"My son was not murdered," he clarified. "He was accidentally killed by an immigrant from Haiti."

Clark criticised four politicians, including Trump and Vance, describing them as “morally bankrupt” for using his son’s name to further their political agendas. He called on them to stop exploiting his son’s death for political gain, saying, “They are not allowed, nor have they ever been allowed to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio.”