‘They need help;’ Springfield leaders ask for more resources after surge in legal Haitian refugees

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield leaders are asking for more resources after a spike in Haitian refugees.

As reported on News Center 7 at 5:00, Dayton-area Congressman Mike Turner is one of the lawmakers that Springfield leaders reached out to for their unsustainable growth in the last five years.

“This community needs resources, they need help,” Turner said.

A surge of legal Haitian refugees was sent to Springfield, but Turner said this particular immigration program has been suspended by Congress because the Biden-Harris Administration didn’t attach the financial resources usually associated with these concentrated programs.

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“It’s not as if 10,000 people came all over Southwest Ohio, 10,000 people came to Springfield,” Turner said.

City leaders have estimated as many as 15 to 20,000 Haitian immigrants may be there now.

They say it is putting a huge strain on safety forces. Police and fire departments are both below their current numbers, let alone how many members they should have with the population surge. The exploding population is also taxing schools, courts, and healthcare facilities.

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“We had to add a number of employees, we had to kind of beef up our translation services,” said Dr. Amit Seegala, the director of the Rocking Horse Community Health Center, the spot that Turner toured.

She says treating more patients than ever before and patients who struggle in English is taxing to the staff and expensive.

“We are anticipating to close the year at about $450,000 and to our city manager’s point, that is not sustainable,” Seegala said.

Turner said they’re starting from scratch because the financial resources weren’t attached. They have to pass legislation and help Springfield apply for federal grants that might help.

We will continue following this story.

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