Staff ReportsReports are coming in from across the country that a wave of Haitians is not just flooding into Springfield, Ohio, but also small towns nationwide. It’s a direct consequence of the Biden-Harris administration’s latest head-scratching policies. Just when you thought 485,000 Haitian illegal border crossers were a cozy number for the books, along comes this administration to smash records like a piñata at a birthday party.
Since fiscal 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has done more than monitor the southwest border; they’ve become masters at crafting new records. A staggering 216,000 Haitians were apprehended just this fiscal year alone, a notable increase from the mere 48,727 in fiscal 2021. This isn’t just a statistic; it’s a trend that local communities are grappling with, navigating a growing influx of residents with fundamentally different tales to tell.
It's not just Springfield, Haitians being flown to small towns nationwide https://t.co/zVPxj4aMXG via @thecentersquare
— Auden B. Cabello (@CabelloAuden) September 24, 2024
If mere numbers didn’t spark enough alarm, consider the fact that this year alone, over 205,000 Haitians have been released into the U.S. through the CHNV parole program. It sounds good, but let’s remember, these folks are entering the country while waving a “please ignore our illegal status” flag — all thanks to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who must have taken “open borders” as a personal challenge. Local officials in Springfield, for instance, argue that many of the new arrivals are hard workers — but many residents are raising their eyebrows, claiming the opposite. There are rising concerns about crime rates and the surge of welfare enrollments.
Springfield’s Mayor Bob Rue has tossed his hat into the ring, arguing that federal directives tie his hands. Apparently, the Biden-Harris administration sent a memo that turned the local workforce into a guessing game. While Rue claims the town is becoming a beacon of opportunity and each new arrival is legally justified under temporary protections, local residents chant a different tune, citing crime spikes and dubious driving skills amongst the newcomers.
Meanwhile, small southern towns like Sylacauga, Alabama, are opening their arms wide, regardless of whether it’s for a political statement or genuine hospitality. When pressed by residents about the mystery of Haitian arrivals and what the State Department knows about them, local council leaders tried to dismiss concerns by taking refuge in a safe space of political correctness. However, locals aren’t buying the PR campaign as concerns about safety and economic impact swirl like leaves in an autumn breeze.
Even further afield in Coffee County, rumors are swirling that up to 30,000 illegal aliens are set to arrive shortly and let’s not ignore the troubling chatter about human trafficking. Local officials are scrambling to clarify their stance — “We’re not sanctuary cities; we didn’t receive bribes!” The goalposts have shifted so much that it wouldn’t be surprising if they were renamed after the latest botched policy launch by Washington.
In Charleroi, Pennsylvania, the tale takes another twist with reports that the immigrant population has spiked dramatically. Local leaders insist the newcomers are blending right in and benefitting the community. One can’t help but wonder if they’re wearing rose-tinted glasses or perhaps just trying to put a good face on a burgeoning crisis. What’s clear is that as Haitians are funneled into America, the concept of legality is being as bent as a pretzel, with many released under conditions that technically defy federal law.
As the saga unfolds, the consequences of the administration’s decisions ripple across America’s heartland. It remains to be seen whether the Biden-Harris administration will translate words into action or if towns across America will continue to fend for themselves, straddling the ever-blurring lines of immigration, legality, and political expediency. After all, when it comes to managing borders and towns, it seems American citizens exist merely in the background, watching a show that’s performing more like a circus than a government.
