Arizona Rep. Eli Crane | Arizona Rep. Eli Crane | Facebook
Arizona Rep. Eli Crane | Arizona Rep. Eli Crane | Facebook
A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) said that the large influx of Haitian immigrants to Springfield, Ohio that is gained national headlines in recent weeks is symptomatic of a larger national immigration issue that has caused Arizona to be "on the frontlines of an invasion."
"This situation in Ohio is symptomatic of a larger issue with our current immigration system: it refuses to put the needs and safety of American citizens first," said Zach Kahler, communications director for Rep. Crane. "On top of the fact that Arizona is on the frontlines of an invasion that the current administration has blatantly emboldened, our legal immigration system has failed us too."
Kahler said that Crane has introduced a bill called the "Nuclear Family Priority Act" to "curb the chain migration scheme that has allowed for the exploitation and abuse of our immigration system."
There have been 440,598 total encounters to date in Arizona's Tucson Sector during fiscal year 2024, with 247,483 of these encounters being from citizens of Mexico, 80,709 from Guatemala, 3,386 from Honduras, 3,160 from El Salvador, and 105,860 from citizens from other countries, reported Tucson Standard.
During fiscal year 2024 to date, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has arrested 41,780 illegal aliens who have previous criminal convictions or who are wanted by law enforcement.
Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, have surged in number, with estimates of up to 20,000 new residents since 2020. This rapid influx has strained local resources, including housing, public safety, and social services. The city has formed an Immigrant Accountability Response Team to investigate issues around immigrant employment, housing, and driver instruction. The local government is working to address public safety concerns, housing shortages, and language barriers while coordinating with state and federal agencies for support
Springfield’s mayor, Rob Rue, told the Springfield City Commission in July 2023 that the town had been “saturated” by Haitian immigrants, reported the Springfield News-Sun.
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