An Ohio Haitian community leader advocates for America to embrace openness for all.

A Haitian community leader in an Ohio town that gained national attention due to longtime residents' allegations of disturbing incidents involving refugees contends that America's history warrants the country to be more welcoming to migrants.

"Viles Dorsainvil, the executive director of Springfield's Haitian Community Help and Support Center, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that America is renowned globally for its democracy, where human rights are respected and people are treated with dignity and respect. He emphasized that the American founders intended for the country to be an open nation that welcomes everyone."

Recently, Springfield, Ohio, located about 50 miles west of Columbus, has gained national attention, particularly due to remarks made by both Donald Trump and JD Vance, the top Republican presidential candidates, last week.

"Where is our border security?" Vance wrote in a post on X last week. "Reports now reveal that individuals have been abducting and consuming pets that shouldn't be in the country."

During the debate last week, Trump made a similar claim about immigration.

""The people who entered the country are consuming the pets of the residents, which is a disgrace," Trump stated."

Despite local leaders' denial of claims about eating pets, longtime residents in Springfield have expressed their frustrations with the ongoing issue.

In recent years, the town, which had been experiencing a population decline for decades and had a population of under 60,000 in the 2020 census, has experienced a sudden influx of thousands of Haitian migrants, putting a strain on resources and causing some tensions between longtime residents and newcomers to the community.

An influx of over 20,000 people has caused issues between residents and newcomers in a community of 60,000 people, according to former Republican state Rep. Kyle Koehler, who is now running for state senate.

Immigrants with little experience driving in their home countries have been allowed to drive on the roads, causing road safety concerns among locals.

"Koehler stated that the number of car accidents occurring is abnormally high, and not just the number but the severity of them as well. When driving on a street with a 35-mile-an-hour speed limit and encountering multiple cars sitting on their hoods, one cannot help but question the cause of such a high frequency of accidents."

In August 2023, a bus carrying local schoolchildren collided with a minivan, injuring over 20 students and killing one, 11-year-old Aiden Clark, seemingly causing tensions to peak.

Though Dorsainvil acknowledged that the incident increased tension in Springfield, he expressed optimism that things had "started to get back to normal." However, this optimism was short-lived as the community was once again thrust back into the spotlight by Trump and Vance.

Nevertheless, Dorsainvil admitted some tensions do remain in the community.

Dorsainvil stated that the group of people who believe that we are here to take away their benefits or whatever belongs to them or take away their job or whatever is the reason for the disconnect between members of his community and longtime locals, which he attributed to cultural differences.

"Dorsainvil stated that the nonprofit works on implementing cross-cultural education to put on events that help Americans understand their culture. The organization also conducts Q&A sessions with American friends to explore the possibility of implementing more programs to educate them about Haitian culture and how to integrate into the community. Additionally, the nonprofit has programs that educate Haitians about American culture."

While some tensions have been reported in Springfield, most community members have been friendly and welcoming, and local leaders have worked diligently to address any issues that arise.

"Dorsainvil stated that Springfield is a welcoming city, with officials working to address the issue and an inclusive approach. However, he acknowledged that there is a group of people who believe that immigrants should not be in the city."