Haitian immigrants in Springfield: What our reporting has found

Here are five takeaways from our reporting in the last seven months about the Haitian community living in Springfield:

1. ‘Springfield is now saturated,’ mayor says

Mayor Rob Rue told residents at the last commission meeting the city did not know about the possibility of a large immigrant population coming but said a “network of businesses knew what was coming.”

He said the city’s Immigrant Accountability Response Team that formed last fall has discovered the possibility companies “knew they were going to make an effort to bring in individuals who were crossing the border.”

Rue said he was upset the city did not get a chance to plan for the immigrants.

“Springfield is now saturated,” he said.

>> FULL STORY: Springfield mayor says investigation into businesses, immigration continues

2. Officials are asking for help

City of Springfield and Clark County government officials are seeking help from the state and federal levels.

In April, Rue and two other Springfield officials — Bryan Heck, city manager, and Jason Via, deputy director of public safety and operations — went to Washington, D.C., to meet with representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. Department of Labor to ask how the federal government can help.

They also met with U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, who represents Springfield and the southern portion of Clark County. Turner has been critical of the Biden administration for expanding immigrant eligibility for Temporary Protected Status, which he has said opened the door for more immigrants to come to Springfield without resources.

>> FULL STORY: Springfield leaders talk growing Haitian population with federal government

In May, a three-person Clark County government delegation also went to Washington, D.C., to

Clark County Commissioner Sasha Rittenhouse; Ethan Harris, director of community development; and J. Alex Dietz, deputy director of development, visited as part of the Dayton Development Coalition’s annual fly-in, scheduling visits with the offices of lawmakers Rep. Mike Carey, Sen. Sherrod Brown, Sen. JD Vance and Turner.

“The federal government has allowed them to come into our country; most of them are here legally,” Rittenhouse said.

Rittenhouse said the area needs financial assistance from the federal government for the needs.

>> FULL STORY: Clark County officials talk in DC about needs with growing Haitian population

3. Haitian-led community center offers aid

The new Haitian Community Help and Support Center is led by Haitian community leaders, which Haitian pastor and president of the community center board Vilès Dorsainvil said gives it a unique position.

Many resources for Haitians are run by nonprofits and local government agencies.

The center is a one-stop-shop for resources with its goal being to end the need for Haitians to visit organizations all over to find what they need.

The center at 1530 S. Yellow Springs St. sees a large number of people seeking services such as help setting up and maintaining accounts with Columbia Gas and Ohio Edison, obtaining food stamps, Medicaid, work permits and car insurance, Rose-Thamar Joseph, the center’s secretary and a board member, said.

>> FULL STORY: Haitian-led community center identifies challenges, needs for immigrant population

4. Status extended by feds

Most Haitians are here legally, making their way from a violent and gang-ruled island homeland to Mexico.

Katie Kersh, senior attorney with Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, said many Haitians coming here go to Mexico and get a CBP One, a mobile app that allows users to request appointments related to immigration. That allows them to be legally processed into the U.S. through what’s called the parole program. They then typically obtain Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, which allows them to temporarily stay in the country. Others may apply for asylum, which is evaluated based on a person’s individual situation and if they were persecuted or have a fear of persecution, or for both TPS and asylum.

>> FULL STORY: Haitian immigrants in Springfield face complex immigration system and long delays

This summer, Homeland Security officials extended the temporary legal status for Haitians already in the United States, which will allow hundreds of immigrants in Springfield and the surrounding areas to apply to remain until February 2026.

TPS does not provide a direct path to citizenship. It does allow immigrants to apply for a work permit.

>> FULL STORY: How could Temporary Protected Status extension for Haitians affect Springfield?

5. Frequent city commission topic

The surge of Haitian immigrants is a topic at every Springfield City Commission meeting, and some of the discussions have become heated.

The public comment portion of the meetings, which has been at the end of commission business, will be moved to the beginning portion of the meetings, starting with the next session on Tuesday.

Mayor Rue said: “We’re doing this to let the community know that public comments are our priority, and we want to give energy to it.”

> FULL STORY: Springfield leaders move public comments to start of commission meetings

6. Governor DeWine gets involved

City officials met with Governor Mike DeWine to discuss how the state can help alleviate some of the financial burdens being faced by local safety, social service and health agencies trying to address the needs of the immigrant population.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said he and his office are working to support Springfield and Clark County officials through the substantial growth in the Haitian population.

DeWine and a number of people from his team met with Springfield and Clark County officials, including Springfield Mayor Rob Rue, Clark County Commissioner Melanie Flax Wilt, health commissioner Chris Cook, Springfield City School District Superintendent Bob Hill and others.

“Really our purpose was to listen to them, hear what’s going on and look for ways that we could be helpful,” DeWine told the News-Sun. “We have a lot of follow-up things with different agencies, (and we’re going to) see if there’s different things where we might be able to be helpful ... It continues to be a work in progress as far as our office and looking for ways to be of help.”

> FULL STORY: DeWine says state working to support Clark County with Haitian population

7. NAACP hosts public forum

A public forum on racism and discrimination against Haitian immigrants and Black Americans saw participants reach agreement on some steps that could help, including more driver education options and English as a Second Language classes.

The forum, hosted by the Springfield chapter of the NAACP at City Hall, aimed to bring everyone to the table and “build bridges,” NAACP President Denise Williams told attendees.

More than 10 community members spoke, sharing a variety of concerns. One speaker, a Haitian immigrant named Rony Symmat, said that he and others left Haiti for a better life, and that Haitians who want to fold into the community need assistance from the community.

One community member, a white woman, shared her concerns, saying that allowing people to cross the border is causing “chaos” across the country.

“When it comes to Haitians, I’m an American. I don’t care what color any person is as long as they come here to be an American, and Haitians are not here to be Americans; they’re here to take what they can get from us taxpayers,” she said.

NAACP President Denise Williams said the NAACP will step up to find these solutions, with a focus area being driver’s education to prevent car crashes.

> FULL STORY: NAACP hosts public forum on racism and discrimination against Haitian immigrants

8. Commissioners deny claims they profit from Haitian influx

Gary Armstrong, a frequent commission critic, aid two commissioners have Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs) and alleged that a former city commissioner was part of “the plot, the scheme, the agenda that brought the immigration here … they’re working against us as citizens. They’re killing this city while several of you,” he said addressing the commissioners, “are making money out of these LLCs and renting to the Haitians.”

Such rumors about city officials being directly involved in the immigration of Haitians and reaping money from them while failing to address problems that have surfaced over the past two years, have circulated widely on social media.

Every member of the commission used part of their time during a recent meeting to rebut allegations they are profiting from the influx of immigrants.

Mayor Rob Rue was the first to address the issue.

“I want to talk about the accusation about me having a partnership with someone who owns several rentals and I’m benefiting from immigrants in our community in owning rentals. I do not,” Rue said. “I do have an LLC that owns the business that I work in and three properties attached to that, that include seven total rentals … I have owned two of the rentals that have non-Haitian folks in them for 15 years. They are adjacent to my business.

Rue stressed that he has not earned money from the influx of immigrants to the city.

> FULL STORY: Springfield commissioners deny claims they profit from Haitian influx

9. City leaders seek federal funds

Mayor Rob Rue reported he has met with Congressman Mike Turner on a number of occasions. Turner recently visited the community and held a press conference at the Rocking Horse Community Health Center where he committed to seeking federal funding to ease pressure on needs for public health, schools, safety and language resources.

City leaders passed out a letter template that can be adapted by individuals, and they provided addresses of state and federal office holders at their city commission meeting.

At their last commission meeting, city officials detailed some of steps they have taken to seek policy changes and additional funding to alleviate some of the pressure on essential services.

In July, city officials sent letters to both of Ohio’s U.S. Senators, J.D. Vance and Sherrod Brown, highlighting the urgency of housing needs in the city.

City officials have also been seeking funds for translation services from federal and state sources.

> FULL STORY: Springfield leaders: Residents can push for state, federal help on immigration

10. Blood Tribe group leader speaks out

A man who gave a name that appears to be an anti-Black pseudonym used by some hate groups, spoke at an August city council meeting.

“I was head of the anti-Haitian immigration march earlier this month,” the man told city commissioners, referring to a dozen people who marched through the city during the Jazz & Blues Fest with Nazi flags and ski-mask covered faces.

As he spoke, two people left the room, with one woman calling him a Nazi and protesting that he was granted a platform to speak.

The speaker challenged the idea that city officials had advance notice of their planned march.

“I would like to dispel the myth that you knew of our march and intentionally had no reaction or made no forewarning of it as a preventative measure. You had no more idea than the police officers or Haitians. And it’s frankly insulting to our organization.”

“Second, I’ve come to bring a word of warning,” the man affiliated with the Nazi group said. “Stop what you’re doing before it’s too late. Crime and savagery only increase with every Haitian you bring in …”

He was interrupted by Mayor Rob Rue at that point, who called the man’s words threatening and asked police to remove him, which was accomplished without incident.

> FULL STORY: Springfield city meeting sees protest, removal of Nazi group speaker

11. Refugee health testing clinic set up to serve Haitian immigrants

A refugee health testing clinic at the Clark County Combined Health District (CCHD) became fully operational on May 2.

The clinic is a voluntary program open to immigrants who have been in the U.S. for 150 days or less to get healthcare screenings.

Health Commissioner Chris Cook said long-term sustainability of the refugee clinic is a priority.

“It’s a needed service in our community at large. Not only is it serving the unmet needs of our immigrant population, but it is supporting the entire population’s health,” Cook said. “We are likely approaching 10% of our population being Haitian. Our county’s health profile is built by everyone living and working here regardless of where they are from or what they look like.”

Cook said the legal method by which most Haitian immigrants enter the U.S. does not afford basic medical screenings or immunizations, so the clinic is fulfilling that need for them, which helps the community’s overall health.

> FULL STORY: Clark County refugee health clinic a ‘needed service,’ sees dozens of patients

12. Social media post about Haitians stealing and eating pets goes viral

The Springfield Police Division said Monday morning they have received no reports related to pets being stolen and eaten.

A social media post originally from a Springfield Facebook group went viral nationally in recent days. The original poster did not cite first-hand knowledge of an incident. Instead they claimed that their neighbor’s daughter’s friend had lost her cat and found it hanging from a branch at a Haitian neighbor’s home being carved up to be eaten.

The poster also claimed “Rangers” and police told them that “they have been doing it” at Snyder Park, too, with ducks and geese.

Springfield Police said they were aware of the social media post but that this was “not something that’s on our radar right now.”

> FULL STORY: Springfield police say no reports of pets stolen, after viral social media post