Barely an hour before the presidential debate, the father of an 11-year-old Ohio boy killed when an immigrant’s minivan crashed into a school bus, lashed out at former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, calling them “morally bankrupt” politicians spreading hate at the expense of his son, Aiden.

Speaking during public comment at a regular meeting of the Springfield City Commission, the father, Nathan Clark, said, “This needs to stop now. ”

The death of Aiden Clark, who was thrown from the bus after the minivan driver, who is Haitian, veered into oncoming traffic just more than a year ago, shook residents of Springfield, a blue-collar town between Dayton and Columbus. And it touched off a wave of angry rhetoric over the thousands of immigrants from Haiti who have settled in the area since the pandemic.

But it was not until Vance took note in July that the city was thrust into the contentious national immigration debate.

Since then, Vance has been highlighting the influx of Haitians to Springfield as a detrimental consequence of the Biden administration’s border policies. The immigrants are in the country legally with authorization to work, and they have moved to the Springfield area to fill jobs in manufacturing and other industries.

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Vance Doubles Down

This week, Vance doubled down, repeating scurrilous claims that people “who shouldn’t be in this country” were abducting and eating their neighbors’ pets in Springfield. Trump’s campaign amplified the baseless rumors, even after authorities debunked them.

On Monday, the Trump campaign posted on social media about Aiden, including his photo and that of Hermanio Joseph, the Haitian immigrant who struck the bus.

Then, on Tuesday, Vance referred to Aiden in a post on the social platform X, saying that “a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant.”

Standing beside his wife, Danielle, Clark opened his three-minute speech saying that he wished that his son had been killed by a 60-year-old white man, if only because the family would have been spared the barrage from “hate-spewing people.”

“My son was not murdered,” he said. “He was accidentally killed by an immigrant from Haiti.”

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“This tragedy is felt all over this community, the state and even the nation, but don’t spin this towards hate,” he said in his remarks at the commission meeting, which was livestreamed.

City officials have said thousands of Haitians have settled in Springfield. Fleeing one of the most troubled countries in the world, the immigrants have helped revitalize the town, whose population had been dwindling in recent decades. But the speed and volume of arrivals have put pressure on housing, schools and health services.

Since Aiden’s death in August 2023, residents have been packing City Commission meetings to air grievances about the immigrants.

But the vitriol has intensified in recent months, with attendees often making denigrating comments about Haitians, such as that they have low IQs. Some of the critics have also insinuated that the immigrants have brought disease and crime to the city, which health officials and the police have denied.

More Than 20 Other Students Also Injured

More than 20 students were also injured when Joseph’s minivan struck the school bus en route to school last year. He carried a driver’s license that was not valid in Ohio. The authorities did not find evidence he had consumed alcohol or drugs. In May, Joseph, 36, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and could serve up to nine years in prison.

On Tuesday night, Clark, a teacher, cited four politicians whom he described as “morally bankrupt” for using Aiden to advance their interests — Trump; Vance; Bernie Moreno, the Ohio Republican nominee for the Senate; and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas.

Related Story: How Eating Family Pets Became a Trump Talking Point

“They have spoken my son’s name and used his death for political gain,” he said from the podium.

“They can vomit all the hate they want about illegal immigrants, the border crisis and even untrue claims that fluffy cats are being ravaged and eaten by community members,” Clark said.

“They are not allowed, nor have they ever been allowed to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio,” he continued.

“I will listen to them one more time to hear their apologies.”

In a statement sent to The New York Times in response to Clark’s criticism, Luke Schroeder, a spokesperson for Vance, faulted Vice President Kamala Harris for the administration’s border policies and said that the Clark family was in Vance’s prayers.

Clark said that Aiden studied different cultures and accepted everyone. As his parent, he was committed to honoring his son’s memory in that spirit, he said.

“Sure, we have our problems here in Springfield and in the U.S.,” he said. “But does Aiden Clark have anything to do with that?”

Danielle Clark, who is also a teacher, unfurled a red T-shirt emblazoned with #LiveLikeAiden on the back and held it up for the audience, which responded with applause. Then the couple exited the chambers.

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This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Miriam Jordan/Maddie McGarvey
c. 2024 The New York Times Company