Springfield, Ohio Two local pastors spoke to Fox News Digital about the pastoral challenges facing a town that has attracted national attention after a viral video showed residents complaining about disturbing behavior by Haitian refugees who have been resettled in the area.
“I think the biggest change we've seen is that trust in the community has been broken and basic civility has been broken down a little bit,” Springfield, Ohio, pastor BJ Newman told Fox News Digital on Thursday from Springfield's Snyder Park. “And I think the reason for that is that so much change has happened so quickly. At the 2020 census, we had about 50,000 residents here, maybe a little more, but the numbers I've read say we now have between 15,000 and 20,000 new immigrants arriving.”
Newman's comments come as the town where he works has been in the national spotlight, especially since it was highlighted in back-to-back interviews earlier this week by Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance and former President Donald Trump.
On Monday, Vance posted on social media about the town, claiming that “people have had their pets kidnapped and eaten by people who shouldn't be in this country.”
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Rev. B. J. Newman, of Springfield, Ohio; (Fox News – Michael Lee)
Trump doubled down on that claim during Tuesday's debate, claiming that Haitian refugees in Springfield are “eating dogs, but the people coming in are eating cats.”
“They're eating the pets of people who live there. This is what's going on in our country, and it's a shame,” Trump said in response to a question about immigration.
Many local leaders rushed to the town's defense and disputed the widely held allegations.
Newman also expressed frustration with the allegations, arguing they distract from the real problems Springfield residents face as they try to accommodate the town's growing population.
“I believe this suffering is real,” Newman said. “One of the reasons I wanted to speak out about this is because I'm a pastor and I see this affecting the local people that I serve.”
Newman argued that the crux of the problem is how quickly the town's makeup has changed, exacerbating cultural differences and leading to tensions between longtime locals and the growing number of refugees from Haiti.
Springfield, Ohio residents attend city council meeting to share frustration over the immigration crisis hitting their community
This is the lake where geese were allegedly poached and killed by Haitian refugees. (Michael Lee/Fox News Digital)
“I think the vast majority of Springfield residents are good people, very kind, hospitable people, and I think the large influx in a short period of time has created real stress, real friction, and I think that's what ultimately causes all of this difficulty,” Newman said.
That friction is growing among longtime residents, who are turning up to city council meetings to voice their concerns about the influx.
Local residents particularly point to road safety issues, blaming migrant drivers for many recent accidents, especially fatal ones.
“Driving in town is awful,” former Republican congressman Kyle Kahler of Ohio told Fox News Digital, adding that much of it is down to cultural differences and the fact that many immigrants arrive in Springfield without licenses and little driving experience.
In one notable accident that occurred last October, a school bus carrying dozens of children collided with a minivan, injuring more than 20 students on board and killing Aiden Clark.
Haitian immigrant Hermanio Joseph was held responsible for the accident and later convicted of manslaughter and vehicular homicide.
Haitian Community Center in Springfield, Ohio. (Michael Lee/Fox News Digital)
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“It was traumatizing for this community,” Newman said of the fatality. “In my role as pastor, we had to mobilize quickly and work really hard on counseling and intervention, and I think that kind of shone a light and said, 'Wait a second, what's going on here?'”
But while some residents mobilized to resist the influx, others began working to protect Haitian refugees.
At events across town late Thursday, other faith leaders from around the city gathered at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Springfield to highlight efforts to welcome and support the growing number of Haitian refugees.
One person who attended the event, Pastor Adam Banks of First Baptist Church, told Fox News Digital that tensions in Springfield are expected but can be overcome.
“There are tensions within the community, much like tensions have arisen in the past when new members move into existing neighborhoods,” Banks said.
Banks attributed the current tensions in Springfield to a “lack of understanding” and “affinity” between two cultures that are unfamiliar with each other, but argued that it also means there are “more people” available to “share their talents” and help with “community service.”
A sign welcoming drivers to the city of Springfield, Ohio. (Michael Lee/Fox News Digital)
Banks said several members of the Haitian community attended his funeral, and he argued that refugees should be welcomed into the community, not rejected.
“They have quickly jumped in to help with the sound system, share special music, share beautiful singing voices, read Scripture and offer leadership in various capacities within the congregation,” Banks said, adding that they continue to “welcome” anyone who wants to “celebrate and glorify God with the gifts each person brings.”
Pastor Adam Banks of First Baptist Church. (Fox News – Michael Lee)
“We don't need any more false information being shared that actually demonstrates fear for people we don't understand,” Banks said.
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Meanwhile, Newman argued that people who have been in the community for a long time should be able to be included in the conversation, even though they are typically ignored when they voice their concerns.
“I think there's a larger narrative that the only compassionate response in a situation like this is to accept all immigrants and stay quiet. There's no sense of putting up your hands and saying, 'Wait a minute, we're not being considered, we're suffering for her too,' and the response is like, you're a racist or a bigot, why are you so anti-immigrant,” Newman said.
