Ohio Governor Highlights Haitian Immigrants' Role in Springfield's Revitalization

Mike DeWine used one outlet's op-ed to call for a Trump-style pivot toward broader legal immigration, comparing it to Nixon’s opening to China. He argued that the president’s crackdown on illegal migration lends him authority to promote policies that attract high-skill workers and retain Haitian nationals. DeWine highlighted demographic trends, noting a two-decade decline in birthrates and a Congressional Budget Office forecast that deaths will outpace births by 2030, making immigration the sole source of population growth.

He pointed to foreign-born workers comprising roughly 30 percent of long-term direct-care staff and significant shares of physicians, STEM professionals and entrepreneurs in Ohio. Specific to Springfield, he said Haitian immigrants have helped revive the local economy through employment, home repairs, tax contributions and business creation, and he condemned the recent end of their Temporary Protected Status. The piece also referenced analyses from Reason about the economic cost of restricting international STEM graduates.