Logansport, Indiana may not be a household name but the town of 18,000 offers a prime example of the consequences of open borders policy as an estimated 5,000 Haitian migrants have been moved there in the past two years.

Representative Jim Banks (R-IN) decried the negative impact that the federal CHNV Parole program is having on Logansport as well as other small communities across the nation, saying, “No small community can survive that pace of change.”

The CHNV Parole program was to allow sponsors to apply to bring certain individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela and to fly them into the U.S. where they are permitted to remain for two years.

In small communities like Logansport, the influx of thousands of migrants is having a number of unintended consequences.

The strain is being felt by the local schools where the Haitian student population alone has increased 1378% since 2021.

During their September meeting, Cass County Health Department Administrator Serenity Alter reported to Cass County Commissioners that many of the students coming to Logansport schools are arriving unaccompanied.

Alter described the route by which the children have reached their community, saying, “They fly from Haiti to Nicaragua, to Mexico, and then to the state they are flying to in the US. Some have not seen their parents in seven years. It’s an eye-opener.”

Other areas where the strain is being felt include the local hospital and housing.

FOX59/CBS4 reports that Logansport Memorial Hospital officials have told them that they are on pace for record births and more than 20,000 emergency room visits. Patients who cannot pay sign up for presumptive Medicaid and then apply for a payment plan or charity care.

The hospital recently asked Cass County for $3 million, which it received, in order to help stabilize its operations.

Housing is another concern for the community with the Health Department reporting unsafe conditions it has observed in homes where 20 to 25 people are living.

Logansport Mayor Chris Martin says he has considered declaring a state of emergency and hints that new housing projects may be in the works but, for now, he is reaching out to the Governor’s office to determine the community’s next steps.

In the meantime, Rep. Banks continues to warn that communities like Logansport don’t have the resources to deal with a 30% population increase caused by loose border policies.