What’s really happening in Springfield, Ohio? Are Haitian immigrants eating ducks, geese, and pet cats, as internet rumors have claimed? Glenn speaks with Blaze Media National Correspondent Julio Rosas, who traveled to Springfield to find the truth. He tells Glenn that while he can’t speak to how widespread the issue of missing pets and ducks is, it has been raised by citizens “for months.” However, that’s not the only thing. “ANY ISSUE that the residents have been raising over the 20,000 Haitians being put into their city…a lot of the residents feel that the city commission is just not listening to their problems, or they’re not willing to do anything about it because there is a lot of MONEY involved in the decision.” Julio describes what he heard from residents — women feeling unsafe, the city not enforcing fire codes, landlords renting out BEDS, not houses. Plus, he explains why some residents have either started to embrace the “new normal” or are afraid to speak out.
Transcript
Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors
GLENN: Julio now is at -- in Springfield, Ohio.
Talking about the Haitian influx. To see what's really going on. He's our national correspondent. Julio Rosas, welcome.
JULIO: Yeah. Glenn. Thanks for having me.
GLENN: You got there yesterday?
JULIO: I got there late Monday night.
GLENN: Okay. Okay. So what have you found on the ducks and the geese and everything else?
JULIO: Well, I can tell you that it is an issue, that has been raised to the city for -- for months -- months before this -- this got brought to the national attention, you know, last week and into this week.
You know, I can't speak to how widespread it is. But it's been enough of a problem that people have been saying, hey, you know -- like, we've been seeing this. Like, I've heard about this.
Can the city look into it? And from my understanding, not just the duck issue -- you know, the pet issue.
But overall, any issue, that residents have been raising over -- over the 20,000 Haitians being put into their city.
A lot of the residents feel that the city commission is just not listening to their problems, or they're unwilling to do anything about it because -- because there is a lot of money, being involved in decisions. Because, you know, they're -- these -- these Haitians, they have jobs. That's why they're able to be here legally. They have protected status.
GLENN: Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. They have jobs?
JULIO: Yes. That's --
GLENN: How did they do job placement for 15 or 20,000 Haitians?
JULIO: It's through a temp agency called First Literacy. It's based here in Springfield. And that's one of the tension points within the American citizens here. Is that everything seems to be revolved around accommodating the Haitians first. And the American citizens second.
And that's why they're upset at city commissions. Because the city commission appears that they want to make Springfield seem as accommodating as possible to the Haitian population.
Which includes, not towing cars of unlicensed drivers. Surrounding -- or, having to do that.
Because, you know, they're not very great drivers admittedly. It's called some people to be killed. There have been some accidents on the road. But Springfield in the past, have not been willing to toe their cars. Whenever there's an accident or whenever they're indicate driving recklessly. So that's one of the reasons why people no longer drive into Springfield.
I was in Fremont City, just five minutes to the North.
They no longer go to the Kroger or the Walmart in Springfield. They go to the cities up North to do the shopping. Because they say, even being on the road, it's too dangerous.
GLENN: I -- I've got to believe that a town that small. I mean, Kamala last night said, it was a mid-sized town.
No, it's not. That's -- 50,000 people is a small town in America. And I got to believe, you put 20,000 immigrants from anywhere, that are not, you know, looking to blend in. And be part of society.
I've got to believe, that has totally changed the culture. And if I were a resident, I would be pissed.
Who is the federal government to do this to my town?
Is that the feeling you're getting from people.
JULIO: Right. Yes. I was at the city -- so while most people were getting back from the debate last night, I was at the city commission meetings that they have.
And a few people spoke, to -- during the public comments portion, where one woman. She's 58. She's elderly. She lives on the south side of town. The south side of town is where most of the Haitians have been put. And are living at right now.
And she said, she doesn't even leave her house right now. Without her gun and her 120-pound pit bull. Because she has been followed. She has been groped by Haitians. She's been accosted verbally. And she said, I'm very worried about the women of this town, because they're very aggressive towards women. And it's -- and, you know, that was just one person. But there's a lot of -- you know, yes. The pet issue is one thing.
But even on the housing alone, what's been happening is that landlords have -- you know, you say you have a family of four. The landlords don't renew their lease with them.
And then they replace them with up to 15 Haitians.
They're not even renting.
They're not even renting the house.
They're renting -- they're charging them, I've been told, $200 a week for just the bed.
And it was explained to me, that the bed never gets cold because there's just a constant rotation of people that use it for those late hours.
Then they go to work. And then they come back, and it just starts all over again.
So you put -- you know, two sets of bunk beds in a room. That's six people. Right?
GLENN: That's the way it works in China.
JULIO: Yeah. Yeah. Can and so the landlords are getting a lot more money from this. And the city is not enforcing the fire code.
So that's a fire hazard.
When you have that many people, crammed into one -- you know, a two-bedroom, a one-bedroom place. And -- but you have 15 people inside. That's a fire hazard. But the city has refused to enforce the codes.
Again, to try to accommodate the Haitians as much as possible.
And American citizens, who haven't been able to afford to leave. They have ended up homeless.
There's encampments that spring up -- sprung up around Springfield.
It's not because of just homeless people, like Los Angeles, that are drugged out.
It's, they can't afford anything else.
And that's their only option.
GLENN: I have to tell you, if this were happening in my city and somebody came to enforce some sort of ordinance, you know, I was building a house. And they were like, you've got to get a permit for this.
Because we have to know for fire safety. I would tell them, go to hell.
When you decide to have everybody if along with your rules.
Then you can come see me. I mean, this is -- this is -- this is a -- a -- a national nuclear bomb, that is about to go off.
People are not going to tolerate this.
You know, I heard a guy yesterday, he was a vet.
And he was in Chicago. And he said, what is happening here?
We have vets on the street!
I'm barely making it.
We have homeless people. You're doing more for these -- these illegals, than you're doing for us.
And then he said, the key words.
He said, you need to do that, for us. As well.
Well, that's universal everything.
And they're pushing us into this.
This is -- you cannot push these cities to the brink like this.
This is Cloward and Piven.
And the result will be Communism. If Kamala has her way.
This is extraordinarily dangerous. What can be done to help Springfield, Julio?
JULIO: Well, that's interesting. Because, again, during the public comment section of the meeting last night.
I would actually say more people spoke in favor of just saying, well, the Haitians are here. There's nothing we can do about it.
We just need to work through it. As opposed to saying, we need to stop accepting Haitians.
GLENN: You've got to be kidding me.
JULIO: So it kind of appears, you know, from -- there's a sizeable amount of people who have just resigned themselves to this new reality.
And it doesn't seem like -- and, you know, obviously, that's just one snapshot of the community. But it -- but I also -- I also think that people are afraid of speaking out on the issue.
Because -- because of the national attention.
And just because of the environment that we're in.
They're afraid they will be called racist. They are afraid they will be called bigoted and everything else.
It's a small town. So everybody knows everybody.
And so I think that's part of the issue. But that in and of itself is a big problem. Because if you're not going to speak out about it. Then the loudest voices will get their way. Right? So in terms of what could be done with Springfield.
Nothing will change. Nothing will change, if Harris takes back the White House. And it's not going to be just Springfield. It will be more -- it will be, yeah, cities across the country.
And so I think it's significant, that -- I started my reporting, on the border crisis. It was always on the border.
And, you know, now we're hearing the end of the Biden/Harris term.
Her term. And I'm having to do immigration stories in America's heartland.
GLENN: Every town is a border town. We've been saying that for years now.
JULIO: At first, it sounded a little corny. You know, it didn't sound very -- but it is -- it is 100 percent true. And it's not just Chicago. It's not just New York City. It's not just Denver.
It is any -- any town can face this, within the next couple of years.
GLENN: Julio, we'll talk to you again, maybe tomorrow.
Thank you so much for the update. I appreciate it.
Julio Rosas. He's TheBlaze media national correspondent.
Now, let me say something. You're not going to fix this. Nothing will change, if you just acquiesce.
If you just go along with it. Well, there's nothing I can do.
Do you see that they're testing you again?
This is like COVID. Wear a mask, 6 feet apart. Stay in your house. No kids going to school.
They're -- they know what they could get away with on that. Now, what are they doing?
They're taking jobs. And giving them to illegals. Without taking care of our own people, first!
And you're just resigned to that?
Nothing will change, in this country. And, you know what, I believe Donald Trump was saved by the Lord. I believe that was a miracle, that he turned his head.
When you see the picture, of the bullet, as he's turning his head, that's a miracle.
It's a miracle that that guy got up, it's a miracle that that guy got up, and said, stand your ground.
Fight!
It's a miracle that that guy goes on stage every day.
He's actually in the fight.
And we're going to say, I don't want to be called racist.
That word has no meaning anymore.
No meaning. No words have meanings. If I may quote my mother, sticks and stones will break your bones.
But words will never hurt you.
You've got to stand up. If you don't, you will get what you deserve.
You will first become part of the problem. And then you will be part and parcel with the wrong side.
You know what's right. You must stand up.
