Miami Heat condemn Donald Trump's controversial claim on Haiti immigrants: 'Hurtful and offensive'

NBA team Miami Heat on Monday condemned the US presidential candidate Donald Trump on his "hateful" speech on the Haitian community during a presidential debate against Kamala Harris last week. During the televised debate on 10 September, Trump made a false claim that illegal Haitian immigrants who were settled in Springfied, Ohio, were "eating the cats and dogs" of the residents living there.

“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there," Trump had said on what was eventually a false claim.

Miami Heat issued a strong response to the statement of the former US President. “The Miami HEAT staff, like Miami itself, is a diverse and brilliant mix of vibrant cultures, including members of our Haitian community,” Heat said in a statement that was uploaded on "X", formerly Twitter.

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“The false narrative around them is hurtful and offensive and has sadly made innocent people targets of hateful speech and physical threats. Our Haitian employees, fans and friends deserve better," Heat added. "Ansanm nou kanpé fò,", the team ended the statement, which translates to "We stand together".

David Muir, one of the ABC's moderators for the debate, clarified saying that the statement made by Trump was in fact false. “You bring up Springfield, Ohio, and ABC News did reach out to the city manager there,” he said. “You bring up Springfield, Ohio, and ABC News did reach out to the city manager there,” he added.

In the aftermath of the false claims made by Trump, hospitals and government establishment buildings in Springfield have been hit with bomb threats.