Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) expressed support for a controversial program that brought a massive influx of Haitians into Springfield, Ohio.
Springfield has become the centerpiece of the national immigration debate after the city of about 59,000 was suddenly flooded with 15,000 Haitian migrants. DeWine pledged to send more resources to the city to deal with the crisis but expressed support for the program.
“Sixteen countries, including Haiti, I believe we counted … citizens can come under the category of temporary protected status,” he said. “Temporary protected status. That is what Haitians who are here. We have a long history in this country, throughout most of my life, maybe before, when we see a situation in a country that is dire, and we see people flee from that country or want to flee from that country. We have created special programs, special policies. When I was in junior high and then in high school, [it] wasn’t the same program, but we had policy in regard to people coming from Cuba.
“I want to be very clear, totally very clear, I’m not against this program,” DeWine said. “I’m not against this program.”
He added that the program should be planned better to prevent situations “like we’re seeing in Springfield” and that the federal government should send assistance.
The DeWine family runs a charity in Haiti.
The aid the governor provided to Springfield includes healthcare assistance and police officers to assist with traffic. One major complaint has been an increase in car crashes due to Haitians being unfamiliar with local traffic laws.
The governor also promised significant financial aid, $2.5 million over two years, to the county health department and other private healthcare institutions, the Washington Post reported.
The state has already provided resources to help Springfield with driver education, vaccines and health screenings, and translation services.
DeWine’s position on the city and program differs from that of the de facto head of the Republican Party, former President Donald Trump, who bemoaned the situation during his first presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
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The narrative around Springfield has largely revolved in the popular sphere around claims from some residents that migrants were eating geese, ducks, and even cats. The latter claim led to a surge of AI-generated memes showing Trump saving cats from Haitian migrants.
The Federalist obtained police audio of a resident reporting Haitian migrants allegedly stealing and killing geese. Though some residents have rumored about cats being taken, authorities have denied such claims, and local police say they are unaware of any such cases.