Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is raising alarms over a rapidly escalating migrant crisis in the small town of Springfield, Ohio, where an influx of Haitian migrants has placed significant pressure on local resources.
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Yost expressed frustration with the federal government’s handling of the situation, particularly the lack of coordination between federal authorities and local communities like Springfield, which now faces a population increase it is unprepared to handle.
Yost revealed that between 15,000 and 20,000 Haitian migrants, many of whom have temporary protected status (TPS) allowing them to live and work in the U.S., have resettled in Springfield—a town of just 60,000 residents. The strain on local services has been immense, with schools, healthcare systems, and other public assistance programs stretched thin. Yost expressed concern that the federal government has essentially left Springfield to deal with the crisis on its own, without adequate planning or support.
“This is a town of goodhearted people who have tried to be kind and supportive,” Yost said, acknowledging the community’s efforts to welcome those fleeing the dire situation in Haiti. However, the attorney general stressed that the town is simply not equipped to absorb such a large number of people. At least 4,000 of the migrants are receiving government assistance, according to Yost, further exacerbating the local strain.
Yost’s criticism of the federal government centered around what he perceives as a lack of control and oversight. He noted that while migrants are being allowed into the country under various statuses, there seems to be little effort to track their movements or ensure they attend required court dates.
“The notion that we’re going to release somebody on a temporary basis… they ought to know where these folks are,” Yost said. He emphasized that local communities should be kept informed so they can better plan for the resources and services required to handle such an influx.
The AG also raised a larger, national concern. “If it could happen to Springfield, it could happen to any town in America,” he warned, noting that without proper limits on the federal government’s ability to allow mass migration into smaller towns, communities across the country could face similar challenges.
Yost questioned what would happen if the federal government continued to allow millions of people to enter the U.S. without clear plans for resettlement. “Can you just put all of them in Ohio and basically double our population?” he asked, emphasizing the need for a “limiting principle.”
Yost’s office is now exploring legal options to bring the case before a federal judge, hoping to establish clearer boundaries on how the federal government manages the settlement of migrants in smaller communities.
He stressed that while Ohio has no issue with welcoming immigrants under proper, organized circumstances, the current lack of planning is untenable for towns like Springfield, which are simply not built to accommodate such rapid and large-scale changes.
