‘Springfield’ Booms with Haitian Immigrants: What’s Driving the Surge? 

'Springfield' Booms with Haitian Immigrants: What's Driving the Surge? Credit | NPR
'Springfield' Booms with Haitian Immigrants: What's Driving the Surge? Credit | NPR

United States: Presently, Springfield has become the home of thousands of Haitians. 

The new presidential debate that was held last week directed so much attention to the small city, and that is why even more people got interested in the fact of establishing the Haitian community in that place. 

More about the news 

Mayor Rob Rue said that the number of people in the city has increased by at least a quarter in the past three years, including immigrants from Haiti, as CNN reported. 

Approximately 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants live in Clark County, including Springfield, according to the statistics on the city’s website. Out of that, some 10,000 to 12,000 are Haitian, based on data from school and social services presented in July by the county’s health commissioner. 

Why living in Springfield? 

It is not that more of the immigrants were settled there as a part of the government’s resettlement program. However, immigrants chose to live in Springfield owing to its low cost of living as well as the availability of work. 

As the city website mentions, “no government entity is responsible for the influx of Haitians into Clark County.” 

According to Clark County Health Commissioner, Chris Cook told the Springfield City Council in July, “Any system is going to struggle with the rapid population growth we have seen,” while stressing the need to receive more resources and funding to help. 

Moreover, employment opportunities and word of mouth are said to have brought more immigrants to the city. 

Springfield-based interpreter turned community leader Koveleski said that as soon as Haitians told their family and friends that there were jobs available, the news went viral. 

According to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, businesses within the region are also grateful for any support from a rising workforce. 

He said, “Ohio is on the move, and Springfield has really made a great resurgence with a lot of companies coming in. These Haitians came in to work for these companies,” as ABC News reported. 

“What the companies tell us is that they are very good workers. They’re very happy to have them there, and frankly, that’s helped the economy,” he added. 

Recent changes with Haitian immigration to the US 

The total count of Haitians in the US who have been granted legal right to work in the United States of America has grown in the past couple of years. 

Later that year, in January 2023, the Biden administration noted that Haitians would be among a new group of nationalities that would be allowed entry under a program that the officials were hoping would provide more legal ways to enter the US, and this would ease pressures at the border, CNN reported. 

In the program, applicants apply for transition, and these must be endorsed by an organization or individuals in the United States. The approved participants are legally given travel permission to the US. 

Moreover, according to US Customs and Border Protection data released this week, over 210,000 Haitians have been paroled into the US through the program. 

Haitians are the largest number of individuals involved, and the program embraces the opportunity for Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.