Why is the Haitian population booming in Springfield, Ohio?

Former President Donald Trump's false and provocative claims that Haitian immigrants kidnapped and ate pets in Springfield, Ohio, thrust the small Midwestern city and its migrant population into the national spotlight.

The unconfirmed rumors initially spread widely online – and were amplified by some right-wing politicians and Trump's vice presidential candidate, Senator JD Vance, after a series of social media posts went viral.

A spokesperson for the city of Springfield told ABC News that these allegations are false and that there are “no credible reports or specific allegations that pets belonging to individuals from the immigrant community have been harmed, injured or mistreated.”

Still, the storm of outrage sparked by the Republican presidential candidate's comments has overshadowed the complexity of America's immigration system and the geopolitical dynamics that have contributed to the rising number of Haitians seeking refuge in the United States.

More than a decade of temporary protection

While Trump has vowed to conduct “major deportations” in Springfield, most of the estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Haitians in the city have the right to live and work in the United States, and many of them — as well as many Haitian migrants who have settled elsewhere in the country — are protected from deportation by law.

Hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants have Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Created by the U.S. Congress in 1990, this status allows migrants to stay in the United States for a limited period of time if the executive branch determines that conditions in their home country prevent their safe return.

Haitian citizens were first granted the TPS program in 2010 after the Caribbean nation was hit by a devastating earthquake that killed more than 100,000 people and overwhelmed the government.

These protections were renewed several times during the Obama era and extended for six months during Trump's tenure in the White House before the former president requested a stay of the provision in 2019. However, that decision faced numerous legal challenges that effectively stalled his administration.

Shortly after taking office, President Joe Biden reinstated TPS status for Haiti, significantly increasing the number of Haitians eligible to apply for this status.

“Haiti is currently experiencing serious security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights abuses, crippling poverty, and a lack of basic resources, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a May 2021 statement explaining the decision.

Last June, Biden again expanded protections for Haitians, ruling that the more than 300,000 migrants from the country who would enter the U.S. after November 2022 would be eligible for TPS, while giving more than 200,000 Haitians whose protections were expiring the opportunity to apply for an 18-month extension.

Haiti's ongoing instability

The Biden administration has also worked to address the challenges facing Haiti and improve the security situation in the country, but with little success.

The assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 left a power vacuum in the country and weakened local authorities, who were unable to contain the violent gangs that had taken control of large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The unrest prompted Haiti's then-interim leader, former Prime Minister Ariel Henry, to appeal for foreign help in restoring law and order. US diplomats responded to the call by proposing the creation of a multinational security force. But it took a full year for the UN Security Council to greenlight a Kenyan-led operation.

The mission had originally promised to send 2,500 troops to Haiti, but so far fewer than 400 have been deployed and UN authorization expires next month.

There have been some improvements in Haiti in recent months – including the reopening of its main airport – but many citizens say their country is still plagued by widespread gang violence.

The Biden administration is also working to put Haiti on track to hold democratic elections for the first time since Moïse's assassination. To that end, it has promoted the establishment of a transitional presidential council that will hold a vote in early 2026, coinciding with the expiration of Haiti's current TPS designation.

Why Springfield?

Although Trump describes cities like Springfield as “overrun” by migrants, the vast majority of Haitians in the U.S. live in Florida and the Northeast, not the Midwest, according to the American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.

But local authorities in Springfield point out that the number of Haitians who have flocked to the city in recent months has not yet been included in the census data and that the proportion of migrants now accounts for around 20 percent of the total population.

Immigration advocates say many Haitians moving to Springfield are attracted by the relatively low cost of living and the abundance of employment opportunities, including manufacturing jobs that the city's Chamber of Commerce has helped create.

But Springfield's relatively small population – just over 58,000 in 2022 – has made the influx of newcomers more noticeable, especially in terms of the strain on city resources.

Under U.S. law, most Haitian migrants are automatically eligible for government benefits, including Medicaid, food assistance and other federal social programs that rely on local providers. Some Springfield residents say the increased number of migrants has made it harder to access those resources.

Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine announced last week that he would send $2.5 million to Springfield over the next two years to provide more health care options for the city's residents.

On Sunday, he appeared on ABC's “This Week” and defended Haitian immigrants in Springfield, telling co-host Martha Raddatz that they are in Ohio legally and praising their work ethic.

“I think it's unfortunate that the subject came up. But let me tell you what we know. What we know is that the Haitians that are in Springfield are legal. They came to Springfield to work. Ohio is on the move, and Springfield has really seen a big resurgence with a lot of companies coming here. These Haitians have come to work for these companies,” DeWine said Sunday.

“Companies tell us they are very good workers. They are very happy to have them there and frankly it has helped the economy. Now, are there any problems associated with that? Well, sure. When you go from a population of 58,000 to 15,000 people, you are going to have some challenges and problems. And we are dealing with that,” he added.

On Monday, DeWine said he would also send police officers to search for bombs in Springfield schools after more than 30 threats were made last week.