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The challenges Springfield, Ohio, faces to handle Haitian migrants

Unsubstantiated claims say immigrants are eating pets
City officials have denied any credible evidence of those rumors
Springfield, Ohio, has seen an influx of migrants in recent years


Springfield is a town of just under 60,000 people, according to the 2020 Census, and since then an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 migrants have settled there looking for work, many of them from Haiti.

Its city leaders are faced with the same reality many other midsized manufacturing towns are faced with — balancing the need for workers versus managing finite resources in the community.

Immigrants in Springfield
Residents who spoke with NewsNation say the situation is out of control and the city lacks the ability to handle the 20,000 Haitian immigrants. Richard Jordan addressed the issue at a city commission meeting.
“Is there a cut-off point for the population here?” he asked. ”I mean, I feel like there should be a ‘No Vacancy’ sign right now and people are still coming in. What’s the cut-off point?”

Some Haitian residents of the city feel they are victims of misconceptions about the community and their status in the country.

“Let’s be clear, there is a preconceived notion that all Haitians here in Springfield are illegal immigrants, which is false. Some of us are Haitian American citizens who can vote, we are green card holders, and some of us are here via a federal program that allows us to have a Social Security card, employment authorization, that allows us to temporarily stay in the country,” one resident said.

The federal government has pledged $2.5 million to increase access to medical care but Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says it isn’t enough.
“They have to step up,” he said. “It is their policies that have created these surges.”

The number of immigrants has strained healthcare services and schools and the number of car accidents has skyrocketed.

“We had a resource problem before and now we have 20,000 to 30,000 migrants who are collecting these resources and spreading our community thin,” said Dustin Geisel. “I know that I can’t get into the doctor for my children because they are booked months out.”

Local paper Springfield Sun-News reported that city leaders were investigating the influx of migrants, suggesting local businesses knew the new arrivals were coming but the city wasn’t notified. As a result, officials were unable to create infrastructure to support adding 20,000 residents over five years.

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/immigration/residents-springfield-speak-immigrant/