Vance, Yost targeting Haitians in Springfield, Ohio with ignorant fear-mongering disturbs me deeply
As for Vance’s claim that Haitians are “causing chaos all over Springfield,” and Yost pointing to Haitians in Springfield as an example of migrants “terrorizing our communities,” I have no idea what they’re talking about. Go to Springfield and tell me where to find the chaos and terror, because every time I’ve been the last four years, I haven’t seen it.
Something extraordinary has happened in Springfield since the pandemic though, with the influx of thousands of Haitian immigrants. The actual number is hard to pin down. City officials have estimated up to 20,000, but estimates of 10,000 and 15,000 have also been made.
The New York Times reported last week, “By most accounts, the Haitians have helped revitalize Springfield. They are assembling car engines at Honda, running vegetable-packing machines at Dole and loading boxes at distribution centers. They are paying taxes on their wages and spending money at Walmart. On Sundays they gather at churches for boisterous, joyful services in Haitian Creole.
“But the speed and volume of arrivals have put pressure on housing, schools and hospitals. The community health clinic saw a 13-fold increase in Haitian patients between 2021 and 2023, from 115 to 1,500, overwhelming its staff and budget.”
The Times details how, after decades of shrinking and uncertainty, Springfield was able to attract new manufacturing and business with a strategic plan, and by 2020 had drawn in food-service firms, logistics companies, and a microchip maker, among others:
“But soon there were not enough workers. Many young, working-age people had descended into addiction. Others shunned entry-level, rote work altogether, employers said. Haitians who heard that the Springfield area boasted well-paying, blue-collar jobs and a low cost of living poured in, and employers were eager to hire and train the new work force. The Haitians had Social Security numbers and work permits, thanks to a federal program that offered them temporary protection in the United States. Some had been living for years in places like Florida, where there is a thriving Haitian community.”