Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has announced he is sending additional highway patrol officers and millions of dollars to Springfield to address the rising surge of Haitian migrants and the corresponding drain on infrastructure.
"I want the people of Springfield and Clark County to know that as we move forward, we will continue to do everything we can to help the community deal with this surge of migrants," said DeWine in his official statement. "The federal government has not demonstrated that they have any kind of plan to deal with the issue. We will not walk away."
Springfield has been thrust into the national spotlight following a series of memes that were crafted to further an unsubstantiated rumor that Haitian immigrants were eating the pets of residents. Former President Donald Trump and his vice-presidential running mate Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, amplified the rumors by publicly voicing the allegations that Springfield residents were having "their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn't be in this country."
While there was no evidence of any immigrants kidnapping pets, The Federalist obtained a police report detailing a group of Haitian migrants carrying four geese they had recently caught across a road in Springfield.
The city manager of Springfield, Brian Heck, released a statement that there was no evidence of such incidents and that such rhetoric was "disappointing" and due to a "highly charged political cycle."
Heck did note in July in a letter to two U.S. senators that in just a few years the federal government has released 20,000 Haitian immigrants into their city with a population of just under 60,000. Heck wrote the influx of immigrants was "putting a significant strain on our resources and ability to provide ample housing for all of our residents."
DeWine said the rise in migrants in his city has been particularly draining on health care services due to the overwhelming number of patients coupled with limited translation resources. The governor has also ordered the Ohio State Highway Patrol to assist local police and "address the increase in dangerous driving in Springfield by inexperienced Haitian drivers."
"The federal government does not have a plan to give any support to the communities impacted by surges, and we have absolutely no indication that a plan is coming in the near future," the governor's statement concluded.