Exclusive: Springfield school's shocking double standard — immigrant students can't fail



Immigrant students are given a much easier grading scale at a school in Springfield, Ohio, effectively preventing them from failing because they are still considered English "language learners," an email from the superintendent confirms.

A high school principal in the Northwestern Local Schools district previously sent an email to staff members at Northwestern Jr./Sr. High School, instructing them not to give so-called "English language learners" — often referred to as ELL students — a grade lower than a "C," Superintendent Jeff Patrick confirmed in an email obtained by Blaze News.

'It seems like a better solution might be possible.'

"The email [from the principal] did indeed state not to give our ELL students any grade under a 'C' based on the fact that for the first three years in an Ohio School system, ELL students are considered to be Language Learners," Patrick wrote in the email dated October 9.

Blaze News reached out to Patrick and asked a series of questions, including whether ELL students received passing grades even if they failed to turn in assignments and/or attend class as required. Patrick did not respond.

However, Patrick did indicate in the email viewed by Blaze News that the grading policy at the school may soon be changed.

"It seems like a better solution might be possible, so I have given our Director of Instruction and his team of Administrators the task of coming up with a better solution to this grading issue," he wrote.

The grading scale in the online version of the school handbook is not currently accessible, but prospective graduates of Northwestern Jr./Sr. High School must earn at least 21.5 credits and "demonstrate competency in math and English by passing the state’s algebra I and English II tests" or through other approved means.

As Patrick did not respond to any of Blaze News' questions, it is unclear whether students who are U.S. citizens and native speakers of English received failing grades while their ELL counterparts could not.

U.S. News and World Report claims that Northwestern Jr./Sr. High School has a graduation rate of greater than 95%, which suggests that at least a few students have failed to graduate. The outlet cited government data for its report but did not clarify when that data was collected.

The student handbook also warns that chronically truant students and their parents or guardians may face prosecution at a local municipal court. Truancy may even affect a student's ability to acquire a state driver's license, even though some of the city's 20,000 Haitian immigrants have been caught driving without a license.

Springfield, Ohio, has been in the national spotlight for more than a year after an unlicensed Haitian immigrant there crashed into a school bus, killing 11-year-old Aiden Clark.

At the presidential debate last month, former President Donald Trump also suggested that some of the Haitian immigrants in Springfield are eating pets. Democrats balked at the suggestion, but statements from Springfield residents indicate that maltreatment of wildlife is a problem in the area.

"I [saw] a group of Haitian people — there was about four of them — and all had geese in their hand," one resident stated during a 911 call on August 26.

Anthony Harris, a 28-year-old Springfield resident, said at an August city council meeting: "They're in the park grabbing up ducks by their neck and cutting their head off and walking off with them and eating them."

"I don't know how y'all can be comfortable with this."

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Ohio court rejects Haitian nonprofit's request to arrest Trump, Vance over Springfield pet-eating remarks



An Ohio court rejected the Haitian Bridge Alliance's request to arrest Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump and running mate Senator JD Vance (R-Ohio) over claims the two made that Haitian nationals residing in Springfield are eating locals' pets and wildlife.

According to a Saturday statement from Springfield officials, a Clark County municipal court panel of judges found no probable cause to issue warrants or summonses on misdemeanor charges against Trump and Vance, WBNS reported.

'The Court cannot automatically presume the good faith nature of the affidavits.'

The judges noted that "the strong constitutional protections afforded to speech, and political speech in particular," should be taken into consideration.

"The conclusion of whether the evidence and causation necessary for probable cause exists to commence a prosecution of the alleged offenses is best left in the investigatory hands of the prosecution," the judges wrote.

"The presidential election is less than 35 days away. The issue of immigration is contentious," their ruling continued. "Due to the proximity of the election, and the contentiousness concerning the immigration policies of both candidates, the Court cannot automatically presume the good faith nature of the affidavits."

Since the judges ruled against issuing warrants against Trump and Vance, they were required to refer the case to the prosecutor for further investigation.

Judge Stephen Schumaker wrote in a concurring opinion that the case does not require a hearing.

"The Court acknowledges the difficulties of proving a negative. There is significant difference, however, between stating that there are no verifiable reports that a statement is true and proof and/or probable cause that a statement is false," Schumaker ruled. "This Judge has tremendous respect for the officials making the above and similar statements but if any of the officials voiced the opinion that the statements at issue were false, those statements are in the form of opinion."

Last month, the HBA, a group that has received funding in the past from George Soros' Open Society Foundations, filed criminal charges against Trump and Vance, calling for their arrests "stemming from the baseless and malicious comments made against our Haitian community," Blaze News previously reported.

According to the HBA, the politicians "led an effort to vilify and threaten the Haitian community in Springfield."

Guerline Jozef, executive director of HBA, claimed that Trump and Vance inflicted "devastating harm" against the community and were responsible for recent bomb threats and "racially charged threats" in the area.

The HBA's bid cited R.C. 2935.09, an Ohio law that allows private citizens to file an affidavit for criminal charges.

Karoline Leavitt, Trump campaign spokeswoman, previously told the Daily Caller News Foundation, "President Trump is rightfully highlighting the failed immigration system that Kamala Harris has overseen, bringing thousands of illegal immigrants pouring into communities like Springfield and many others across the country."

"President Trump will secure our border and put an end to the chaos that illegal immigration brings to our communities," Leavitt added.

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EXCLUSIVE: Police chief defends Springfield residents, blasts government’s poor management of migrant crisis



The government's mishandling of the immigration situation in Springfield, Ohio, has caused otherwise avoidable "turmoil" between residents and Haitian nationals, Tremont City Police Chief Chad Duncan told Blaze News' Julio Rosas.

Duncan echoed concerns other residents have voiced to Blaze News that local and federal governments have failed to even try to assimilate the foreign nationals into the community's existing culture before flooding the area with such large numbers of new arrivals.

'It's not good for either side, and that's a shame.'

Bill Monaghan, a former journalist, recently told Rosas that many locals have self-censored over fears of being labeled racist or intolerant for voicing their concerns. When some have spoken out about lack of housing and increases in traffic accidents, the city has either ignored them or insinuated that their concerns "are based in some sort of misplaced racial antipathy," he stated.

"Being ignored and being called racist is, I think, a big part of the reason why people are concerned about talking," Monaghan remarked.

Duncan explained that the situation in Springfield has spilled over into nearby towns, including Tremont City. According to the police chief, many of the surrounding municipalities are trying to crack down on the increase in reckless driving and unlicensed drivers by towing vehicles, but Springfield is not.

"The impact is that people that shouldn't be driving are out there, and they're allowing them to drive," Duncan told Rosas. "A lot of these people aren't even getting cited after they get in a wreck."

As a result of the increased traffic accidents, many caused by unlicensed Haitian drivers, insurance rates in the area have gone up, the police chief told Blaze News.

"People are losing their lives. I mean, it's a big impact," he continued. "I tow their vehicle because that is the only way to get them to stop, or at least try to stop them."

"I found hitting people's pocketbooks gets their attention, and a tow around here is about $400 when you're all said and done. And then they have the citation to pay for," Duncan noted.

He told Rosas about an unlicensed individual whom he pulled over and towed his vehicle twice in a two-week period. In one of those instances, the individual was "coming through town at 44 miles an hour in a 25-mile-zone," Duncan said.

When asked whether Springfield would have towed the driver's vehicle in that situation, Duncan stated police there would not have.

"If you look at the protective status for these refugees or immigrants," Duncan said, referring to the federal government's Temporary Protected Status program, "if you get two misdemeanors, you are subject to be deported."

Duncan explained that the driver he stopped had three misdemeanors for operating a vehicle without a license. He questioned whether the individual would be likely to face any real consequences.

Further creating issues in Tremont City, Duncan stated that he could no longer listen in on the Springfield Police Division's radio frequency since the city started receiving national attention over the immigration crisis. He speculated that the department may have turned it off to reduce criticism by concealing its activity.

"That makes a huge impact for us, because if they have a shooting in the city or they're on a chase in the city and they end up in the county, and I don't know about it — we've had them come through Tremont at 100 miles an hour. Think about that. That's a 25 mile-an-hour street with little kids walking around on it," he said.

According to Duncan, all of the issues now facing the community as a result of the massive influx in immigration could have been avoided.

"There was an alternative way that would have been beneficial to everybody involved," he continued. "I just want everyone to understand that we're not against the Haitians."

"We understand. Anybody that has a heart, that has any empathy, has any intelligence, when your home country is the way Haiti is right now, you want to get out. You want to find safety, and you want to take care of your family and yourself," Duncan remarked.

Duncan stated he is frustrated with the government's failure to provide services to assimilate the immigrants. He argued that the Haitian nationals should have first been placed in one centralized location where they were taught English, how to drive, and how to find work before sending them into U.S. communities. He explained that such a process would have avoided placing all the hardship on one community.

"If they had taken the time, instead of worrying about the elites lining their pockets, and just took the time, this could have went so much smoother and been so much more beneficial to everybody involved," he added.

Instead, the mishandled situation has caused confusion and frustration for locals and Haitians living in the area, Duncan said.

"You've got a city that's in absolute turmoil. Everybody's against everybody," he stated.

Duncan told Rosas that he had recently spoken with a young Haitian woman whom he had pulled over after she had driven around a barricade.

"She had her license. She had her insurance. She had a registration. Everything was squared away. So obviously, that didn't result in any citations or anything," he explained.

Duncan stated that he told the young woman, "'I just want you to understand that we're not against you Haitians, okay? We want you to be here. We just don't like the way our government puts you here. It doesn't help you. It doesn't help us.' And she started to cry. She's like, 'I thought you guys just hated us.' I said, 'No, it's not you. It's the way the government does things.'"

"We kind of built a little bridge there, and that's what it's all about," he said.

"I don't have a problem with them. I understand what's going on in that country," Duncan said, referring to Haiti.

"The end result is, we're just going to constantly have turmoil because they haven't adjusted to our culture," he added. "It's not good for either side, and that's a shame."

After several unanswered calls to the Springfield Police Division, the department told Blaze News in an emailed statement, "Thanks for your interest. I will see what we can get to you, but your deadline is tight and we do not have capacity right now with all the media requests we are getting. We will get back to you as soon as practical."

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EXCLUSIVE: Masked woman unloads on 'racist' Springfield neighbors for being concerned about Haitians



A Springfield, Ohio, woman turned on her neighbors, accusing them of racism for complaining about the admitted increase in traffic accidents caused by Haitian nationals.

Blaze News' Julio Rosas spoke to several locals outside Springfield City Hall as they waited to attend the city's highly attended commission meeting on September 24.

'Nothing but 1960s hatred. That's all it is.'

One woman told Rosas that she believes the biggest issue facing the community is not anything stemming from the influx of Haitian nationals but rather her neighbors' "hatred."

"There's no reason for it. These people aren't losing out on anything but maybe a little time standing in line," she stated.

Referring to the Haitian nationals in the city, she said, "They're not taking a penny away from them; they're not taking a house away from them; they're not taking anything. They're here working and making the city so much better."

The resident's statements directly contradicted many other locals' voiced concerns, including the increased rental costs and a general lack of housing in the area since approximately 20,000 Haitian nationals moved into the metropolitan area.

The resident did concede with her fellow neighbors that Haitian drivers have caused an increase in traffic accidents.

On the first day of school on August 2023, a Haitian national struck a school bus, killing an 11-year-old boy and hospitalizing 20 others.

"It has been an issue, but at the same time, we had all these people that were speeding up and down the street," the resident declared.

"Now, you can recognize a Haitian driving. Just drive with caution," she advised. "You know how they drive. Yes, it is a problem, but until they get fully trained, just be more cautious. Simple as that."

The resident went on to outright reject neighbors' claims that Haitian males have been following females around retail stores, as a number of locals have recently told Blaze News.

"Oh, hell no," she responded. "They would love to be followed in the stores, but, no, they're not being followed in the stores."

When asked whether she believes people making such claims are lying, she replied, "Yes, I believe they're lying."

"It's all about the hatred," she said. "We're back in the '60s again."

"The biggest problem that they are really having is there's just too many black people," she continued. "They're scared of us. They always have been."

She expressed frustration that many of the locals speaking at the meetings do not stay for the entire discussion.

"They stay down here long enough to complain, get their little two minutes in the camera, then we switch over to the business — so what we're going to do with the city's money and that type of thing. And, if you'll notice, that room will be empty," she remarked.

Despite previously asserting that the immigrants are "not taking a penny away" from residents, she told Rosas that the city has allocated resources to organizations working with the Haitian community to help them learn how to drive and speak English.

"They've got all of this in motion. It's not going to happen overnight. Give it a little time," she declared.

She noted that she hopes Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump does not come to visit Springfield because she is concerned it would "stir up more mess."

"It's going to cause more hatred. It's going to cause a lot more people calling in bomb threats and everything," she said.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) recently stated that the bomb threats were all hoaxes and originated overseas, Blaze News previously reported.

When confronted with this information, she told Rosas, "It might be. That might be true."

"But had these people had a little empathy in their heart instead of hatred in their heart, this would have never happened," she continued. "Nothing but 1960s hatred. That's all it is."

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EXCLUSIVE: Woke Springfield mayor says his own constituents are full of 'hate' as he dismisses concerns: 'This is the swamp'



Several Springfield, Ohio, residents recently told Blaze News' Julio Rosas that their concerns about the impacts of the immigration crisis on their community are not being addressed.

Rosas attended Springfield's commission meeting on September 24, speaking with locals ahead of the scheduled discussion. Many expressed frustrations over the lack of solutions and contended that their concerns seemed to be passed over.

'If we're going to welcome them into our community, why are we going to exploit them that way?'

One resident told Rosas before the meeting, "We're not getting any solutions right now. And it's up to our leaders — all of them, even the county commissions need to come in on this because it affects the whole county."

"We need to sit down together and come up with a list of the problems and come up with solutions," he stated.

In particular, locals have stated that the influx of 20,000 Haitian nationals into the Springfield metropolitan area has led to an increase in traffic accidents, spiked rental costs, and a housing shortage. Several residents told Blaze News that women have reported being followed around retail stores by Haitian men.

"We have not gotten anywhere at these council meetings," the local continued to tell Rosas. "Can we get some support on training these people on how to drive? There needs to be some training. When you come here, you don't stalk women in the stores and scare our women. It's not going to go good for them. And to me, it's not even so much a culture thing, that's more of common sense. You don't just follow women around in a store. Our women are scared to go to the store."

He claimed that the Haitian nationals in the city should also have some grievances they would like to see addressed.

"They're being trafficked for labor and who knows what else," he told Rosas. "And the way they're being taken advantage of. They're paying three times as much for rent as what they should be."

"Why is that?" he questioned. "If we're going to welcome them into our community, why are we going to exploit them that way? Why are we going to let them be exploited that way?"

Richard Jordan, another resident, speculated that some local leaders may be benefiting from the immigration crisis and, therefore, are not eager to address the community's concerns.

"The money's going somewhere. There's a reason these people are being coddled," he said, referring to the Haitians. "And the American citizens are being put as second class. And it's bulls***."

When asked whether he was concerned about potential backlash, he told Rosas, "We've already seen the backlash. People are calling us liars because we're expressing our voice, which everybody should."

Residents confronted their city leaders in the commission meeting, demanding answers and swift solutions.

One local shouted out during the meeting, "This is the swamp right here. We need to drain it on a local level."

Diana Daniels, a Springfield resident, told city leaders, "Every time a citizen got up here and had a concern … [they receive] pushback. 'That's racist; that's xenophobic.' When, in fact, you weren't listening to what was said underneath."

"The city commission and someone decided that race needed to be the issue," Daniels added.

Jordan addressed city leaders during the meeting, stating, "I'm getting tired of people portraying white people as being racist."

"There's a bunch of scandalous things going on in our town," Jordan said.

Mark Sanders, a resident who previously spoke with Rosas, laid the blame for the city's issues at the commission's feet.

"Everything that's happened in this city in the last two weeks [is] your fault," Sanders said, pointing toward commission members. "In March of this year, I brought to the commission about domestic animal abuse. Gave you where to look. Nobody looked. Nobody."

Springfield was thrust into the national spotlight after allegations Haitians were stealing geese and ducks from parks and residents' dogs and cats.

"I've been harping since September of last year about towing vehicles driven by unlicensed drivers. It's still happening today," he said, referring to claims that Springfield Police Division is not towing vehicles of unlicensed drivers.

After the public comment period concluded, city commissioners responded to some of the questions and concerns raised by residents.

Mayor Rob Rue (R) said, "I just need to say, I had no foreknowledge of immigrants coming into our community and making a decision to allow or disallow. Folks that are here are here. And I have said this multiple times publicly: It is our job to make sure this community's secure and that we wrap our arms around this situation. It is a human thing to do, period. I don't like to see a broad brush of hate swathed against any human group, and I don't like seeing what we're seeing in the last couple weeks."

"As good city leaders, we are subject to the federal administration policy that we are dealing with ... which means we're going to deal with it, and that's the best we can do," he stated. "It is, again, a misunderstanding or absolutely not true that I would be accused not to care about the things that we're hearing from both of these podiums and microphones."

After several unanswered calls to the Springfield Police Division, the department told Blaze News in an emailed statement, "Thanks for your interest. I will see what we can get to you, but your deadline is tight and we do not have capacity right now with all the media requests we are getting. We will get back to you as soon as practical."

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EXCLUSIVE: Female shoppers at Springfield Walmart report harassment from Haitian men, employee says



Springfield, Ohio, residents told Blaze News that Haitian nationals living in the area are having difficulty assimilating with the local culture and, in some instances, even exhibiting intimidating behavior toward women.

An individual working at a local Walmart confirmed other residents' reports that Haitian nationals are causing disruptions at nearby retail stores.

'They're stalking women in the parking lot.'

The worker, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation from the worker's employer, told Blaze News, "There has been instances where either feces has been found on the floor or a child will just pee all over themselves just for no reason [in the aisles]."

"I have seen them just changing their clothes right in the middle of the aisles," the worker said. "They will take a diaper off of their child and roll it up into a pair of jeans."

Locals previously told Blaze News that some women have reported being followed around the store by Haitian men. The employee confirmed similar incidents.

"A customer has come to me, telling me that a Haitian man has been creepy toward female customers," the worker said. "I was walking outside, and I saw one of the Haitian men at one of the checkouts threatening one of our checkout people."

According to the employee, there was one instance in which a Haitian child was abandoned at the store.

"A Haitian child was found in the infant apparel section, and the mother couldn't be found. The child could not speak English at all," the worker explained. "We were going around asking people if they were missing a child. And it wasn't until the police were contacted that someone [who] had already said no changed their mind and said, yes, it was [their] child."

David Cook, owner and operator of the Plastic Lumber Store in Springfield, recently told Rosas that the Haitian nationals have not been properly assimilated into the community.

"You run into this at Walmart or some retail store where you go in and they're not assimilated into behavior and the mannerism. They're pushing you out [of] line and they're stalking women in the parking lot," he said. "As Americans, we're used to social behavior, and there's a certain norm — whether you're on the East Coast, the West Coast, or the Midwest — you've got to know how to act and behave, and they're not accustomed to that."

Bill Monaghan, a former journalist, told Rosas that members of the community have cultural concerns about the influx of Haitian nationals to the area.

He stated, "It's a more misogynistic kind of culture."

"Women report being followed around in stores by Haitians to the point where they're so nervous they have to ask for an escort to get out to the car," Monaghan remarked.

He said that some of the Haitian nationals have a tendency to be intimidating toward others by intruding on their personal space.

"I've seen that, and you just don't behave that way here. You don't walk around the store with your cell phone just blasting. You don't walk around the store eating fruit out of the bins and throwing your trash on the ground. You don't relieve yourself in public," Monaghan explained. "Again, not all Haitians, but a lot of them don't seem to have any interest in our social norms around here. So it makes it kind of a tough fit."

After several unanswered calls to the Springfield Police Division, the department told Blaze News in an emailed statement, "Thanks for your interest. I will see what we can get to you, but your deadline is tight and we do not have capacity right now with all the media requests we are getting. We will get back to you as soon as practical."

Walmart refused a request for comment.

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EXCLUSIVE: Springfield children not safe taking school buses, district employee warns



Students within the Springfield City School District are not safe taking school buses to and from campus, a verified employee who has worked for the district for half a decade told Blaze News’ Julio Rosas.

Blaze News has chosen to keep the employee anonymous after the district sent an email, which was reviewed by Blaze News, encouraging its staff not to speak to the media.

'Our law enforcement, our fire department, everywhere has exhausted its resources because of this influx.'

The worker told Rosas, “If you value your safety, don’t come here. It’s not worth it.”

The employee stated that the entire town is “suffering” because of the massive influx of Haitian nationals who have arrived in the city in recent years.

The flood of new arrivals has led to an increase in non-English-speaking students entering the school system, which, the worker said, has put a strain on the entire district.

According to the staff member, the most significant concern facing the school district is maintaining the safe transportation of students to and from its campuses.

The Springfield City School District comprises 17 schools from preschool through 12th grade, serving approximately 7,700 students, its website states.

“We want to safely take your kids to school,” the employee told Blaze News. “We want to give you that peace of mind.”

“Unfortunately, we have no control of what happens outside [the bus],” the worker explained. “We only have control of what happens inside.”

Many local residents have raised concerns that the influx of Haitian nationals to Springfield and the surrounding municipalities has led to a substantial increase in traffic accidents — some of them deadly.

On the first day of school in August 2023, 11-year-old Aiden Clark was killed after the bus he was riding was struck by an unlicensed Haitian driver. The rollover accident also sent 20 other students to the hospital.

The school district employee explained that many individuals in the community are running the buses’ stop signs.

“It’s not just Haitians doing it; it’s Springfield people too,” the worker told Blaze News.

The employee explained that the community’s resources are “exhausted” due to the influx of new arrivals. According to 2020 Census data, the total population in Springfield was nearly 60,000. However, in recent years, roughly 20,000 Haitian nationals have relocated to the city.

“Our law enforcement, our fire department, everywhere has exhausted its resources because of this influx. It’s not just within the school district, but it’s everywhere. It’s really bad,” the worker stated.

The employee expressed concerns that the strained resources would result in a slower response time from emergency services if another serious bus accident were to happen.

Rosas previously interviewed David Cook, owner and operator of the Plastic Lumber Store in Springfield, who told him that many of the district’s students were scared to get back on the bus after the fatal crash last year.

The school district employee confirmed that the children fear riding the bus to and from school.

“Are the kids safe on those school buses?” Rosas asked.

“If you put in all the factors, the outside factors, no,” the employee replied.

The school district did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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‘I Don’t Appreciate Being Lectured’: CNN Panelist Shouts Down Frank Luntz When Immigration Discussion Gets Heated

'People like me are the ones that are being persecuted'

Dem Rep Claims ‘Domestic Terrorism’ Is ‘Afoot’ In Springfield Because Of Trump, Vance Statements About Haitians

'Do we know if anyone is checking into that'

EXCLUSIVE: Springfield residents clamming up about fallout of Haitian immigration over fears of being labeled bigots



Some Springfield residents are too afraid to voice their concerns about the influx of 20,000 Haitian nationals over fears they will be labeled as racist or intolerant for wanting to preserve their community, Bill Monaghan, a former journalist, told Blaze News' Julio Rosas.

Monaghan told Rosas that the plan to relocate tens of thousands of Haitians into the area started long before residents even realized it — in 2014, when the city launched the "Welcome Springfield" initiative. While local officials believed the plan would solve the city's population decline, without a strategy in place to assimilate new arrivals, the area is now facing a number of issues.

'Being ignored and being called racist is, I think, a big part of the reason why people are concerned about talking.'

"It's happening all over. It's not just Springfield," Monaghan noted. "To me, this battle was lost before we knew we were even in one."

Republican presidential nominee and former president Donald Trump has brought more attention to the Springfield area over the past month after he and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance (R), stated that Haitian nationals were eating the local wildlife and pets.

Monaghan took Rosas to a nearby park this week, where he said ducks used to congregate, but now there are none.

"This pond used to be full," Monaghan stated. "They don't migrate; they lived around here. So, they were all wiped out, and I was told it was by Haitians who eat them. Don't know if that's true or not, but it got me curious what was going on."

Monaghan explained that the claims prompted him to start attending city hall meetings to learn about what was happening in his community.

"I was just really struck by how hateful and dismissive they were toward people who were raising concerns about other issues around the migrant crisis," Monaghan said of the city leaders.

He told Blaze News that he had expected to spend the rest of his life in Springfield but noted that he is now actively considering moving because of the issues caused by the influx of immigrants. Some of the most concerning problems facing the community include rising rental costs, increases in traffic accidents, and overwhelmed emergency services, he said.

Rosas asked Monaghan whether some residents are afraid to voice their concerns out of fear of retaliation from city leaders, such as being labeled as racist or hateful.

"That's a huge concern people have because you can see it," Monaghan said, adding that the city's leaders have largely ignored residents' concerns.

"They ignore you. They insinuate that your concerns are based in some sort of misplaced racial antipathy when people are raising, again, issues like lack of affordable housing, lack of housing at all, jobs that aren't posted locally that are being basically hired out through temp agencies that have contracts to bring mass migrants into Springfield," he remarked.

"Being ignored and being called racist is, I think, a big part of the reason why people are concerned about talking," Monaghan remarked.

Monaghan told Rosas that locals "are losing their homes." He explained that residents fortunate enough to keep their homes are spending more because of rising rental costs.

Until recently, Monaghan helped manage a Facebook group called "Stop the Influx Into Springfield, Ohio," which is comprised of locals concerned about mass immigration.

Monaghan told Blaze News about one business owner who is a part of the Facebook group and does not want to draw too much attention to the concerns about the immigrants over fears of retaliation.

He also noted that one of the women in the group has said that her grandson requires special education services but that he is unable to obtain them because "Haitian children have filled up those slots."

"The issues are real," Monaghan added.

According to Monaghan, the city has failed to properly integrate the Haitian nationals into the community.

Rosas asked Monaghan to share some of the community's cultural concerns.

"The reckless driving is a huge one," he continued. "It's a more misogynistic kind of culture."

Monaghan noted that some local women have reported being followed around in stores by Haitians. He said some of the immigrants tend to be intimidating toward others by encroaching on their personal space.

"I've seen that, and you just don't behave that way here. You don't walk around the store with your cellphone just blasting. You don't walk around the store eating fruit out of the bins and throwing your trash on the ground. You don't relieve yourself in public," Monaghan explained. "Again, not all Haitians, but a lot of them don't seem to have any interest in our social norms around here. So, it makes it kind of a tough fit."

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