Waukesha Times

State Sen. Julian Bradley (R-WI-28) said that the large influx of Haitian immigrants to Springfield, Ohio is similar to the surge of Venezuelan and Nicaraguan migrants in Whitewater, Wisc.

"Thanks to the open border policy of Vice-President/Border Czar Kamala Harris, states like Ohio and Wisconsin have been turned into border states, with hundreds and in some cases thousands of illegal immigrants being shipped to small towns across the country,” Bradley told Waukesha Times. 

“Unfortunately what we're seeing in Springfield, Ohio is already happening here in Wisconsin,” Bradley said. “Last December, the Chief of Police in Whitewater sent a letter to the Biden-Harris Administration asking for help because of the strain on resources caused by the approximately 1,000 illegal immigrants that were shipped up to Whitewater.”

Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, have surged in number, with estimates of up to 20,000 new residents since 2020. This rapid influx has strained local resources, including housing, public safety, and social services. The city has formed an Immigrant Accountability Response Team to investigate issues around immigrant employment, housing, and driver instruction. The local government is working to address public safety concerns, housing shortages, and language barriers while coordinating with state and federal agencies for support

Springfield’s mayor, Rob Rue, told the Springfield City Commission in July 2023 that the town had been “saturated” by Haitian immigrants, reported the Springfield News-Sun. 

Rue said that an investigation by the Springfield’s Immigrant Accountability Response Team formed in October of 2023 revealed the possibility “there were companies that knew they were going to make an effort to bring in individuals who were crossing the border based on federal regulations that they could do that.”

“I’m upset at the fact we didn’t get a chance to have an infrastructure in place if there were going to be 20,000 more people from 2020 to 2025,” said Rue. 

Ohio Lt. Gov. John Husted (R) attributed the influx of Haitian immigrants directly to the federal government's handling of immigration, particularly the Biden administration's decision to grant temporary legal status to Haitian immigrants, reported Buckeye Reporter. 

Husted also said local healthcare providers have reported an uptick in tuberculosis and other diseases. Additionally, the influx is putting pressure on the Medicaid system, with an estimated 6,590 non-citizens, mostly of Haitian origin, receiving benefits in Springfield and surrounding Clark County.

Bradley said the situation in Springfield is similar to that in Whitewater, which has seen a surge in the number of immigrants, primarily from Nicaragua and Venezuela. The influx has led to higher demand for resources, such as food and clothing.   

“If we don't secure our border, there will be a lot more stories about what's going on in small towns like Springfield and Whitewater,” said Bradley.