White supremacist’s “warning” against Haitians in Ohio triggers fear and calls for action 

Officials in Springfield, Ohio removed a white supremacist group’s leader from a city council meeting Tuesday after he delivered “a word of warning” against allowing Haitian immigrants to settle in the community. Yet, Nathaniel Higgers’ brief appearance still triggered grave concern among Haitians and leaders hoping to help the newcomers and longtime residents co-exist.  

In a video of the meeting posted on Facebook, Higgers said he was the organizer of an anti-Haitian march held during a recent music festival in the city. He was representing Blood Tribe, a growing neo-Nazi group that the Anti-Defamation League describes as presenting “a hardcore white supremacist group.” 

“I’ve come to bring a word of warning. Stop what you’re doing before it’s too late,” Higgers said in the video reviewed by The Haitian Times. “Crime and savagery will only increase with every Haitian you bring in, and with it, public frustration, threat and anger.” 

Officials immediately asked police to remove Higgers, saying he was threatening them with violence.

Vilès Dorsainvil, executive director of the Haitian Community Support and Help Center (HCSHC), was in the meeting that evening. In a phone interview Thursday, he said such anti-Haitian acts and rhetoric are due to misinformation and that he would like officials to educate residents blaming Haitians for the city’s long-existing ills.

“It’s appalling to hear the words of these people,” said Dorsainvil, who also works as a bilingual resource specialist for the city. “I am concerned about where they want to go with that [warning].”

“I want more action from the city officials,” Dorsaimvil added. “They have to tell them the truth.

“[City officials], working with the Haitian leaders diligently, can put on a program to assure those frustrated people that [talk of] the resources they say Haitians are taking away is not true,” he said. “We come here to work and raise our families. We’re not here to take away benefits from anybody.”

Haitians’ arrival fills workforce needs, strains services

Often spotlighted for its role as a political bellwether, Ohio is in the throes of a demographic shift with significant social, cultural and political implications as new immigrants settle there. Over the past four years, the state has seen an influx of Haitian immigrants in particular, with cities like Springfield witnessing surges that are reshaping them socially and challenging local infrastructure. 

Springfield, a city of around 60,000 residents has found itself at the center of this surge. Once emblematic of the Rust Belt’s decline, Springfield’s population has swelled by nearly 25%, with Haitians making up the bulk of it. According to Dorsainvil, one third of the town is now Haitian, drawn by jobs in manufacturing, warehouses and the like.

 “Right now some people feel like they can just be walking down the street and get shot. They don’t like Haitians. From day to day, things are getting worse.”

Industries that have struggled with labor shortages have welcomed the Haitian workforce with open arms, according to published reports. However, the rapid shift has not come with significant challenges, causing much strain on local agencies and facilities. Hospitals, for one, are spending thousands more on translation services for non-English-speaking patients. Schools are also struggling to accommodate students who require English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.

“Our community has a big heart, but it’s being overwhelmed,” Rue has told local media.

Politically, the immigrants’ arrival is also poised to influence the swing state’s landscape in subsequent national contests as more Haitians become citizens. Already, politicians have made immigration a hot-button issue this year, with Republicans characterizing such inland locations as Ohio as a “border state” because many migrants eventually land in them. 

Racist, xenophobic displays grow bolder 

Among the many challenges, the most virulent by far has been the racist and xenophobic displays in town – online and offline. Last year, a Springfield man, Izaye Eubanks, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for hate crimes against Haitians.

During the Jazz and Blues Fest on Aug. 10, Blood Tribe members wore black pants, red jackets and black ski masks. The group brandished white supremacist paraphernalia, including a black flag emblazoned with a white swastika. Some Haitians said the group also shouted, ‘If you’re Black, go back to Africa’ during their demonstration.

Such displays are scary to some Haitians and a call for more education to many leaders.

“We feel unsafe,” said J.D., a married father of two whose full name The Haitian Times is withholding for his security. “They’re saying online that they’re going to hunt Haitians. 

“Yes, Haitians sometimes cause some trouble, but most of the time, these people are being racist,” J.D. continued. “Right now some people feel like they can just be walking down the street and get shot. They don’t like Haitians. From day to day, things are getting worse.”

Both J.D. and Dorsainvil say they can understand the curiosity of long-time residents about them as a new group and even some of the frustration. But the racism is going too far, they said.

 “We come here to work and raise our families. We’re not here to take away benefits from anybody.”

“It’s a small community. What is happening here is happening nationally because we’re in an electoral period,” he said. “Sometimes, the narratives lead to violence. That is where we have to work together to not get to that place because that won’t benefit any of us.”

The NAACP’s Springfield chapter, led by Denise Williams, has been working to address these tensions, promoting dialogue and understanding between the Haitian community and long-time residents. Williams planned to hold a community meeting Aug. 29 to discuss the tensions, with Dorsainvil among the guests.

“We have a lot of racism going on, and I’m not for that,” Williams told The Haitian Times recently. “I don’t care what you say, if you mistreat one [Black person], you’re migrating all of us.”

Sophia Pierrelus, a Columbus resident who has formed Facebook community groups for Ohio Haitians, said the latest display should prompt both Haitians and Ohioans to do more against hate and bias in the area. 

“It is essential that we address these issues head-on, fostering an environment where everyone, regardless of their background, is treated with dignity and fairness,” Pierrelus said. “We must come together as a community to ensure that all residents feel safe, valued, and supported.

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White supremacist’s “warning” against Haitians in Ohio triggers fear and calls for action  was first posted on August 30, 2024 at 9:15 am.