Springfield, Ohio – Residents of an Ohio town that has welcomed thousands of immigrants in just a few years have expressed concern about the migrants' safety, especially while driving on the city's busy roads.
“My safety,” one Springfield resident told Fox News Digital when asked what he was most worried about about the influx of immigrants in town. “I'm walking my dog and I smile up to a Haitian person and they don't smile back. They don't understand.”
The comments come as longtime residents of Springfield, Ohio, have recently faced a new reality: the city will welcome thousands of Haitian immigrants into the country starting in 2021. Go to the city's websiteThe total number of immigrants in Clark County, of which Springfield is the county seat, is between 12,000 and 15,000. The influx of people into the town, which had a population of about 60,000 in the 2020 census, is creating tension in the town, especially on the roads, local residents told Fox News Digital.
“They ran into my kid's fence,” Springfield resident Mike O'Brien told Fox News Digital. “They backed into my kid's fence and it cost $400 to fix. They can't drive. It's horrible and inexplicable. Every day I wake up in the morning my little community is feeling less and less safe.”
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Mike O'Brien of Springfield, Ohio. (Fox News/Michael Lee)
Complaints about road safety were perhaps the biggest concern for longtime residents, who recounted numerous stories of accidents they have witnessed over the past few years.
Those concerns are shared by former Republican state Rep. Kyle Kahler, who told Fox News Digital that the condition of Springfield's roads is getting worse.
“We're seeing a really crazy amount of car accidents,” said Koehler, who is currently running for state senator to represent the area. “Not just the number, but the severity. When you're on a road with a 35 mph speed limit and you have a car sitting on its hood, and I'm not talking about one car, I'm talking about five or six accidents a week, it makes you wonder.”
Concerns about road safety came to a head last August when a minivan driven by a Haitian immigrant collided with a school bus carrying dozens of local students, injuring more than 20 children and killing 11-year-old Aiden Clark.
People watch as officers from the Springfield Police Department investigate Springfield City Hall after a bomb threat was made against the building earlier that day, September 12, 2024, in Springfield, Ohio. (Photo: ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
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Since the accident, concerned residents have become more vocal, voicing their concerns at multiple city meetings.
But O'Brien said road safety wasn't the only concern among locals, pointing out that the influx of so many people in a short period of time was putting a strain on the city.
“I don't discriminate against anybody, so I don't care if they throw 20,000 Mexicans or 20,000 Irish people in here. It's just too much,” he said. “The people in this town are fed up with it. They're really fed up with it.”
Meanwhile, other residents welcomed the newcomers to town, arguing that this was an opportunity for them to pursue a better life.
Ruth Lee, of Springfield, Ohio; (Fox News/Michael Lee)
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“It's a shame considering where they come from. This is a great opportunity for them,” Ruth Lee, who has lived in Springfield for nine years, told Fox News Digital.
Lee acknowledged that many of the city's services may be overwhelmed as they handle the influx of residents, but there are also opportunities for residents to improve the lives of their new neighbors.
“I want to reach out to them and let them know they are human beings and they are welcome,” Lee said.
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