bighairymike: Does anybody care about the good people of Springfield. They were leading their life, enjoying small town living, streets were clean and quiet, not making trouble for anyway [sic]. Then suddenly a 15,000 human missile is launched right at the city. Now schools are overwhelmed, food pantries are bare, massive increase in traffic accidents, trash everywhere.

Wow, that's some seriously ignorant fearmongering.

After decades of shrinking and uncertainty -- many young, working-age people struggled with addiction, others shunned entry-level and repetitive work -- Springfield was able to attract new manufacturing and business with a strategic plan, and by 2020 had drawn in food-service firms, logistics companies, and a microchip maker, among others. But what Springfield didn't have was enough workers.

“By most accounts, the Haitians have helped revitalize Springfield.

They are assembling car engines at Honda, running vegetable-packing machines at Dole and loading boxes at distribution centers. They are paying taxes on their wages and spending money at Walmart. On Sundays they gather at churches for boisterous, joyful services in Haitian Creole.”

Haitians who heard that the Springfield area boasted well-paying, blue-collar jobs and a low cost of living arrived as the pandemic subsided, and employers were eager to hire and train the new work force. The Haitians had Social Security numbers and work permits. Some had been living for years in places like Florida, where there is a thriving Haitian community.

And sure, there are challenges as the community health clinic struggles with increased demand and schools are working to accommodate new students. But Haitian workers are helping grow the economy and contributing to the local coffers.

In general, Haitians have been instrumental in revitalizing Springfield.

But, you know, they're brown and black so not welcomed by everyone.

And that "500 could easily crush a small town, especially if 500 jobs and 500 beds don't pop up overnight too" and "traffic accidents, trash everywhere" is just more "They're eating the dogs!" fearmongering BS.

nytimes.com - Springfield ohio school bus crash haiti immigrants