Why thousands of Haitians have settled in Springfield, Ohio

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – In the past few years, many immigrants from Haiti have settled in Springfield, Ohio, attracted by the low cost of living and abundant jobs. But the pace and number of Haitian arrivals has strained local resources and created tensions. And now, ahead of the presidential election, the city has become embroiled in a heated immigration debate

Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, appealed to Springfield in July to criticize the Biden administration’s border policies. That month, the city’s mayor and manager went on the cable news show “Fox & Friends” and asked for help dealing with a flood they blamed on the federal government. Then, during last week’s presidential debate, former President Donald Trump repeated the debunked claim about Haitians in Springfield kidnapping and eating pets.

What’s behind the Haitian rise in Springfield?

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Thousands of new jobs had been created there, thanks to a successful effort by city leaders and the chamber of commerce to attract new business to Springfield, located between Columbus and Dayton. Once a manufacturing center, Springfield shrank as factories closed and jobs moved overseas. By 2015, its population had dropped to less than 60,000 from around 80,000 in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

However, the companies that set up the store faced a huge labor shortage.

Haitians in Florida, Haiti and South America heard from friends and family about Springfield and its need for workers. They began arriving for jobs in warehouses, industry, and the service sector, and employers urged the new workers to encourage other Haitians to join them.

What started as a trickle swelled to a surge following the COVID-19 pandemic, and at the same time deepening political and economic instability in Haiti following the assassination of the president in 2021.

How many Haitians live in Springfield?

Estimates vary between 12,000 and 20,000, according to city officials who spoke with The New York Times. The estimates are based on data from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Springfield Public Schools, area health care providers and social service agencies, officials said. While South Florida, Boston, and New York have long had large concentrations of Haitians, they have also settled in large numbers elsewhere in Ohio, as well as in Indiana, Kentucky, and other states.

How did the Springfield immigrants come to the United States and with what immigration status?

Most Haitians in Springfield are in the United States legally, city officials said.

Although Haiti has seen relatively peaceful times, this nation has long been plagued by political turmoil and violence, with periods of foreign occupation and exploitation, decades of dictatorship, and successive humanitarian crises. Haitians have long migrated in large numbers seeking safety and opportunity in the United States and other countries such as Brazil, Canada, Chile and Mexico.

Some Springfield Haitians have lived in the United States for several years and have permanent legal status or green cards. Some crossed the southern border or flew directly to the United States in recent years.

Many are recipients of Temporary Protected Status, a federal designation that allows citizens of a country in crisis — typically after a natural disaster or political upheaval — to remain in the United States legally, regardless of whether they entered the country legally.

The Biden administration granted temporary protected status until February 3, 2026, to Haitians who entered the United States on or before June 3, and that status is renewable. Haiti is one of several countries whose citizens can receive temporary protection, including Ukraine, which was occupied by Russia and is at war.

Some Springfield Haitians have applied for asylum, which allows them to stay in the country until immigration officials process their cases. Still others have been helped by the Biden administration’s initiative, which allows Haitians with a financial sponsor in the United States to apply for entry and stay here legally for two years. They don’t get green cards.

Various programs allowed many Haitian newcomers to Springfield to work legally, making them especially attractive to employers.

According to the law, persons covered by temporary protection have the right to receive health and nutrition benefits as well as other public benefits, such as food stamps.

What challenges has Springfield faced as a result of the rapid growth of its immigrant population?

Springfield is struggling to handle the soaring demand for health care, housing, schools and roads.

Some of the ongoing initiatives include English language courses, driving lessons, and teaching about economics and the US banking system.

Gov. Mike DeWine announced last week that the state would give Springfield $2.5 million to ease the burden on primary care and deploy members of the state Highway Patrol to improve traffic safety.

Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said he still hoped to receive federal aid.

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