It’s Not Just Springfield, Haitians Being Flown to Small Towns Nationwide
Bethany Blankley, Center Square, September 23, 2024
Haitians are not just arriving in Springfield, Ohio, but also in small rural towns nationwide as a result of several Biden-Harris administration policies.
Since fiscal 2021, more than 485,000 Haitian illegal border crossers, a record, have been reported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The overwhelming majority were reported this fiscal year, nearly 216,000, compared to 48,727 in fiscal 2021.
Since fiscal 2021 through August, the majority have been apprehended at the southwest border of nearly 262,000, followed by nearly 221,000 nationwide and nearly 2,300 at the northern border, according to the data.
Additionally, since July, 205,000 Haitians have been released through the CHNV parole program, according to CBP data. Of the more than 765,000 illegal foreign nationals released into the country through the CBP One app, the top nationality is Haitian.Through these programs, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also extended Temporary Permanent Status to them and granted work authorization.
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When responding to the Haitian influx, local officials claim Haitians are there to work and are contributing to society despite claims by residents to the contrary.
The city of Springfield claims a “surge in our population over the last several years, primarily due to an influx of legal immigrants,” suggesting that Springfield “is an appealing place for many reasons including lower cost of living and available work.”
Springfield Mayor Bob Rue has said “my hands are tied in many ways” about the influx of Haitians, pointing to a designation they were given by the Biden-Harris administration. The TPS program “came from the White House and is a Homeland Security policy,” he said at a recent city commission meeting.
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In Sylacauga, Alabama, residents have been demanding answers about busloads of Haitians being dropped into their community. At a Sept. 5 city council meeting, City Council President Tiffany Nix shut down a meeting and made the issue about race. “We have no reason to treat people differently because of how they look,” she said. “There’s no reason for us to discuss this any further.” She also said, “I’m going to welcome anybody to Sylacauga that wants to come to Sylacauga,” 1819 News reported.
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In Coffee County, one resident claimed, “30,000 illegal aliens are scheduled to arrive in the first week of October, 1,000 of them in Baldwin County,” and that human trafficking was involved, 1819 News reported. {snip}
In Charleroi, Penn., the immigrant population has grown “by over 2,000% in just the last two years,” primarily due to a Haitian influx, 11 News reported. {snip}
Under current law, the majority of Haitians being released into the U.S. are inadmissible but have been ordered to be released by the Biden-Harris administration and given “notice to appear” documents for an immigration court hearing years into the future. {snip}
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