Facts and Feelings About Immigrants

Author

Bubba
24 Sep

The issue of Haitian migration in Springfield, Ohio has caused a national stir, but what are the facts? (Washington Free Beacon)

The latest: Per reporting from the Washington Free Beacon’s Joe Simonson, who recently visited Springfield, 20,000 Haitian immigrants have arrived since the pandemic, increasing the city’s population to nearly 80,000 and straining a social services system designed for 60,000 residents.

  • Rent prices have risen, with the cheapest apartments now costing $700 per month, according to local residents.

  • The city’s school system has experienced a 540% increase in non-English-speaking students over the past seven years, averaging 40 new students each week.

  • 8,000 Haitians in the Springfield area are now receiving federal assistance, up from fewer than 1,000 in March 2022.

Simonson on claims Haitian migrants have been eating pets and geese:

…none of that, despite the media maelstrom, matters much to those in Springfield who spoke with the Washington Free Beacon. They describe a city in crisis as it struggles to absorb the thousands of Haitians granted Temporary Protected Status by the Biden-Harris administration.

If avian welfare was Springfield’s primary trouble, says Mark Sanders, a school bus driver, the city wouldn’t need much help. But the tabloid-like attention on alleged animal cruelty only serves to distract from a litany of crises that locals say their leaders are ignoring.

The other side: Despite splashy claims suggesting Haitian migrants are responsible for a murder spike in Springfield, the city’s (relatively few) homicides have actually been trending downward since 2018.

The vibes: The share of Americans who say immigration levels should be decreased has ticked up substantially since the pandemic.

A February 2024 Monmouth University poll found that, for the first time ever, a majority of Americans want the U.S. to build a wall along the southern border.

Bubba’s Two Cents

Studies have found that increased immigration leads to a spike in anti-immigrant sentiment, especially among people who aren’t as well off financially. I think that phenomenon’s playing a big role in what we’re seeing right now with Springfield and with current public attitudes toward immigrants in general (aka majority support for mass deportations).

I guess one reaction to the Springfield controversy might be to scold people for holding some uncharitable opinions about immigrants. The other might be to acknowledge there were material conditions - namely, a massive influx of migrants in a relatively short time frame - that explain why a lot of Americans feel the way they do.