Springfield, Ohio, has seen crime shoot up ever since a wave of Haitian refugees moved in. In just three years, the town’s population jumped by 20% to 34%, thanks to 12,000 to 20,000 new arrivals. Well, the new arrivals were initially welcomed; data shows that between 2021 and 2023, car thefts went up by 51.5%, and shoplifting skyrocketed by a whopping 112.8%. The Springfield Police were happy to share these lovely stats, but conveniently left out any info on whether the offenders were part of the new crowd or not.

Springfield residents are not happy with the aftereffects of the recent wave of newcomers. And who could blame them? From more car crashes to skyrocketing housing prices and overworked public services, everything has been stressed.  Bryan Heck, the city manager, decided it was time to hit the panic button. In July, he reached out to Senators Sherrod Brown, J.D. Vance, and Tim Scott, practically begging them to help deal with the challenges brought on by this sudden population boom.

A few residents have even alleged that refugees are engaging in inappropriate behavior in public spaces; recently, Senator Vance remarked that Haitian migrants are “causing chaos all over Springfield” and claimed that “there are now reports of pets being abducted and eaten by individuals who shouldn’t even be in this country.”

Before the refugees came, Springfield already had a higher crime rate than the national average. In 2019, the town’s violent crime rate was 493.8 per 100,000 people, compared to the national average of 366.7. Car thefts went up from 324 in 2021 to 491 in 2023, and shoplifting cases rose from 295 to 628 during the same time.

Springfield’s efforts to attract new businesses might be linked to the increase in refugees. Even though some locals criticize the newcomers, many are contributing positively by paying taxes and supporting local services.

To help deal with the situation, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has allotted a whopping $2.5 million to Springfield and is bringing in the Ohio State Highway Patrol to handle traffic issues.  The move comes after a Haitian driver without a license caused a crash in August 2023, killing an 11-year-old and injuring several students.

The community is worried about more traffic accidents and the impact of the refugee situation. A local pastor said accidents are happening daily, and a towing worker noticed a rise in vehicle crashes.

Animal cruelty cases in Springfield have been quite rare. In 2021, there were only two reported incidents, and in the following years, none were recorded at all. On top of that, there hasn’t been any significant change in the number of reported murders or assaults between 2021 and 2023. This suggests that the overall level of violent crime has remained fairly steady during this period, without any noticeable increase.

Meanwhile, the Biden-Harris administration has been managing a large number of migrants arriving in the U.S. From the time President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, there have been over 7 million encounters at the southern border. In 2021, Haitians were granted Temporary Protected Status and were able to remain and work in the U.S. until 2026. As of April, over 400,000 migrants had been flown into the U.S., including 154,000 from Haiti. The flight program was briefly stopped due to fraud but later resumed.

In Springfield, the pressure from the migrant surge has led to calls for more support. One resident expressed frustration, saying, “We’re tired — help. Send help. Help us fix this.” The town continues to face the challenges of integrating many new residents while dealing with the rise in crime and other related issues.