Springfield, Ohio, is facing a housing crisis and other challenges due to an influx of Haitian migrants.
Ohio city Springfield battles housing crisis stemming from Haitian migrant surge
Springfield, Ohio, is facing a housing crisis and other challenges due to an influx of Haitian migrants. The city's population has swelled by more than a third in the last several years, as approximately 20,000 Haitian migrants have arrived legally under the Biden-Harris administration.
Ohio City Overwhelmed by Haitian Migrant Surge
City officials have pointed to the migrant surge as the reason for a housing crisis and unsafe roads. In one tragic incident, a Haitian immigrant ran into a school bus, killing an 11-year-old child.
The Haitians arrived under a Biden-Harris administration program that helps certain migrants flee their violent, unstable countries. Despite the problems the program has brought to the community, causing local residents to speak out against it, Governor Mike DeWine supports it.
Ohio City Overwhelmed by Haitian Migrant Surge
"I want to be very clear, totally very clear, I'm not against this program," said DeWine, whose family runs a charity in Haiti. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has directed his office to investigate legal routes that could put a stop to the federal government "from sending an unlimited number of migrants to Ohio communities."
The sheer number of migrants in a short period of time has been overwhelming for Springfield. Local residents have been urging city officials to take action. "I see what's going on in the streets," said Anthony Harris, 28, during a recent city council meeting. "These Haitians are running into trash cans. They're running into buildings. They're flipping cars in the middle of the street, and I don't know how like, y'all can be comfortable with this."
Ohio City Overwhelmed by Haitian Migrant Surge
DeWine has promised a total of $2.5 million over the course of two years for the county health department and other health care centers that have been overwhelmed by the immigrant uptick. He has also promised more resources for law enforcement.
Springfield has become the center of the contentious 2024 presidential battle for the White House. Former President Trump brought up resident reports that Haitian migrants are abducting residents' pets and stealing geese out of lakes. City officials have denied these reports.
Ohio City Overwhelmed by Haitian Migrant Surge
The situation in Springfield highlights the challenges facing communities across the country that are experiencing an influx of migrants. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of the Biden-Harris administration's program for helping migrants flee violence and instability in their home countries.
