Ohio Attorney General David Yost is exploring legal options to limit the federal government’s ability to send large numbers of migrants into Ohio, as small communities like Springfield struggle with overwhelmed resources and escalating tensions from a sudden influx of Haitian migrants.
Ohio Attorney General David Yost announced on Monday that he has instructed his office to explore legal avenues to limit the federal government's ability to send large numbers of migrants into Ohio communities. This decision comes in response to a surge of Haitian migrants in Springfield, located in Clark County, which has overwhelmed local resources and services.
Springfield, a city of just under 60,000 residents, has seen its population swell by 15,000 to 20,000 migrants over the past four years, straining its ability to provide housing, healthcare, and education. The city's housing crisis has escalated, with City Manager Bryan Heck warning that the influx has severely outpaced the community's capacity to meet housing needs, despite plans for 2,000 new housing units in the coming years. In a letter to Senators Sherrod Brown and Tim Scott, Heck expressed concern that Springfield’s infrastructure could not keep up with the rapid growth.
Ohio Senator JD Vance and Trump's running mate also raised the issue with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, citing the economic toll the migrant crisis is taking on small communities like Springfield. In his remarks, Vance emphasized the severe housing shortages and the strain on local services.
Governor Mike DeWine has been working with local leaders in Springfield and Clark County to find solutions. During meetings in July, DeWine acknowledged the challenges facing the community’s schools and medical facilities and promised support. He is expected to meet again with local officials later this month to discuss additional strategies.
Yost, however, is pressing for a more aggressive response to what he called the "sudden and extreme" population growth. He emphasized that the issue isn't the migrants themselves but the sheer number arriving in such a short period of time, overwhelming local resources. Yost questioned the federal government's authority to flood small towns like Springfield with migrants, asking, "How many people can they be expected to take?"
In addition to strained services, local residents have voiced concerns over increasing crime linked to the migrant population, including incidents of car crashes, theft, and squatting. One tragic incident in May involved an immigrant from Haiti who, lacking a valid Ohio driver's license, crashed into a school bus, killing a student and injuring several others.
Yost warned that while Ohio is a desirable place to live, the unchecked influx of migrants could undermine the state's stability. "Overwhelming our small towns with massive migrant populations without any coordination or assistance from the federal government is changing that in front of our eyes," he said.
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