Yesterday, Sept 10, PBS did a report on Springield, Ohio. Coincidentally, DJT mentioned the town more than once in the debate last night as an example of immigration disasters. I am not a resident of Springfiled, or even of Ohio, but from the PBS coverage, I think he owes Springfield and the debate audience an apology.
Interpreting the PBS story, Springfield is, indeed, struggling. It has become a destination of choice for thousands of Haitians fleeing the chaos in their home county. They are legally in this country under a federal program that allows such refugees into the US with work privileges temporarily. It is a humane and laudable effort, but not without costs. It is not anyone’s plan, just where some humans want to go.
Springfield is dealing with an influx of strangers that amounts to more than 10% of its population, and it is not easy. Think of the number of ESL teachers needed, just to start the list of social services and housing. How could Springfield not have problems?
Yet the story on PBS was positive. No hate marches, no police aggression, no John Birch Society. But yes, very tense town council meetings, though no placards or yelling were part of the presentation. And no increase in crime other than reckless driving was mentioned.
My first thought in seeing the PBS report was that Springfield was an “impacted” area, a term, I think, from the Eisenhower years when federal programs were flooding communities with new residents for military and government installations. Why not a program like that for communities dealing with proportionally large numbers of immigrants? This is a problem that is only going to grow with climate change. And what about when their status expires? Springfield was hit with a large population loss when the steel industry folded. How will it deal with a second such loss if its new residents are home? Springfield churches, as a whole, seem to be doing their part, but this is bigger than a local problem.
From what I saw, I admire Springfield. They seem to be dealing reasonably with a problem that just landed on them, but which belongs to all of us. Springfield does not demonstrate immigration as evil or even undesirable, but it does show us problems and opportunities. We can not turn our back on either. Though only Trump brought it into the debate, I trust Harris look at Springfield and to help it
