Ohio's Republican attorney general slammed the federal government over the worsening migrant crisis in Springfield, Ohio, and said his office has begun the process of taking the issue to federal court.
“I've directed my staff to look at the law and get creative about how we can get a federal judge to reconsider this situation,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “Think about it: If this can happen in Springfield, it can happen in any town in America. There needs to be some kind of restriction before the federal government can continue to simply allow people to come into the country, to move freely around the country, to congregate in places like Springfield that are not prepared to deal with this.”
Yost told Fox News Digital that the federal government “totally mishandled” Springfield, a city of 60,000 people that is home to between 15,000 and 20,000 Haitian immigrants, many of whom came to the U.S. with temporary protected status, allowing them to live and work in the country for limited periods of time.
Trump talks about what's going on in Springfield, Ohio, during ABC News presidential debate and in Fox News interview
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost spoke to Fox News Digital about the immigration crisis in Springfield, Ohio. (Getty Images)
Yost said the federal government has not properly coordinated resettlement between the town and the migrants, which has “put a strain on our schools, our health care system and our safety net,” and that at least 4,000 Haitians are receiving government assistance.
“What I'm hearing from the people of Springfield is, number one, this town is not in a position to accommodate 20,000 people for an extended period of time and they need help,” Yost said. “And while the people of this town are kind-hearted people and have tried to be kind and help people who have obviously fled terrible conditions in Haiti, they feel like they have to deal with it on their own, and I don't blame them.”
Fox News Digital asked Yost what he'd like to see the federal government do in the future to avoid problems like this.
Springfield, Ohio resident recounts 'dystopian nightmare' of Haitian migrants taking over town: 'It's heartbreaking'
Rose Groot Creole Restaurant in Springfield, Ohio is a popular Haitian restaurant that opened in August 2023. (Fox News)
“First of all, we need to keep track of the people who are coming in,” Yost said. “The idea of ​​releasing someone temporarily, whether it's on parole, temporary protection, or whatever bureaucratic 'shit' they're using this week, we need to know where they are, make sure they can make it to court on their court date, and make sure they can be sent home if they shouldn't be here.”
“I don't see any evidence that they know that, and if they do, they haven't shared it with the local communities that need to know in order to plan their response. But I would argue that we need a statute of limitations. What if they decide that eight to 12 people — estimates vary — but millions of people have come into the United States in the last four years,” Yost continued. “If we send them all to Ohio, we're basically doubling the population? We need a statute of limitations. And we're looking for ways to get this to the courts.”
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A sign welcoming drivers to the city of Springfield, Ohio. (Michael Lee/Fox News Digital)
The White House did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital's Michael Lee contributed to this report.
