| *** Trump, Mayor Rue at odds on Springfield Credit: NYT • The story: In his address to Congress this week,Trump said cities like Springfield had been “destroyed” as a result of immigration policies under former President Joe Biden. Springfield Mayor Rob Rue pushed back, saying misleading statements like those have been a major hardship for the city. • What Trump said: “Joe Biden did not just open our borders. He flew illegal aliens over them to overwhelm our schools, hospitals and communities throughout the country,” Trump said. “Entire towns like Aurora, Colorado and Springfield, Ohio buckled under the weight of the migrant occupation and corruption like no one’s ever seen before. Beautiful towns destroyed.” • Rue response: “The greatest hardship we have faced in the past six months is the mischaracterization of our city. We need to be recognized as a community that, despite its challenges, is continuing to move forward and is far from being destroyed,” Rue said in a written statement after the speech. • Reality: As this news outlet previously reported, Springfield last fall had a Haitian population of 12,000 to 15,000 residents, most of whom are in the U.S. legally and chose to move to Springfield seeking jobs and community. • Pros and cons: Ohio’s Republican Gov. Mike DeWine and local Republican city and county leaders have said Haitian immigrants have been a boon to the local economy, but the sudden influx of immigrants did create challenges for the Springfield community, including a strain on schools and hospitals. • Here’s the full story from Josh Sweigart and Jeremy P. Kelley. Springfield economy threatened by Trump immigration change Members of Springfield's Haitian community gather around Bradley Jean, center, as he translates for them at the 14th Annual Clark County Job Fair Wednesday, April 17, 2024. The job fair featured 60 employers looking for skilled and unskilled workers. BILL LACKEY/STAFF Credit: Bill Lackey • The story: The end of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants threatens to have ripple effects across the region’s economy, leaving gaps in the workforce and reducing household incomes as Haitian workers lose work permits and are forced to leave. • Background: As a result of a Trump administration directive, all Haitians living and working in the U.S. via TPS will have their legal status expire in August. Under the previous administration, the status was meant to last until February 2026 and be re-approved for another 18 months thereafter. Most of Springfield’s Haitians will lose work permits, be rendered illegal, and be at risk of deportation as a result of the change. • Economic impact: Haitian immigrants make up much of the workforce in local manufacturing at places like Topre America Corp., Yamada and McGregor Metal. Many others work outside Clark County but spend their money locally. The city’s chamber of commerce has credited the area’s Haitian population with helping to fill many of the 7,000 new jobs created in the area over recent years. • Quote: “Hasty changes and swift deportation will cause hardworking immigrants to be lost, negatively impacting our economy... While those who commit crimes must be held accountable and face deportation, many other immigrants pay taxes and bolster our community,” said Rue, who urged the administration to grant pathways to citizenship for those that want it. • Here’s the full story from Jessica Orozco. Local political news of the week From left: Republicans Anita Swan and Jan Basham, and Democrats Wendy Dyer and Kim McCarthy of the Greene County Board of Elections at their reorganization meeting, Tuesday March 4, 2025. LONDON BISHOP/STAFF • ‘Unprecedented’: With two months to go before the next local election, the Greene County Board of Elections has stalled out on hiring a new director amid its annual reorganization. Here’s the situation, explained by London Bishop. • SOS help: In a vote, the Greene County Board of Elections reached a stalemate between hiring a Democrat or a Republican to lead the board. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, will break the tie. Here’s London Bishop again. • Civil suit: As the Butler County Jail prepares this week to again become a detention facility for Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees, immigration advocates have raised concerns about pending litigation that sprouted from the jail’s previous ICE contract. Here’s Sydney Dawes with the story. State political news of the week Students at the Fairborn Intermediate School head back to class after lunch. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF Credit: Marshall Gorby • Free lunch: Advocates are pushing for Ohio to begin providing free school breakfasts and lunches for all public school students at an estimated cost of about $300 million per year, but concerns about cost linger. Here’s my story. • DEI crusade: The Ohio Senate began considering a bill this week to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Ohio public schools, though the bill doesn’t define what would actually count as “DEI.”. Here’s my story. • Behind the budget: Ever wonder how the state goes about setting its behemoth, multi-billion spending plan? I sure did. Here’s the latest of our Inside Ohio Politics series on how the budget is molded. National political news of the week FILE - President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (Pool via AP, file) Credit: AP • DOGE: A government efficiency effort led by billionaire Elon Musk claims its efforts have saved U.S. taxpayers $105 billion, including $468 million from canceling 748 leases for unneeded federal property nationwide. But at least two of the local properties on the list already had planned closures before DOGE was even created. Here’s Sydney Dawes with the story. • Mass federal layoffs: This story from Thomas Gnauhighlights the local impact of President Donald Trump’s effort, with help from billionaire Elon Musk, to quickly and dramatically downsize the federal workforce — a major part of the region’s economy. • Tariffs: President Donald Trump on Thursday postponed 25% tariffs on many imports from Mexico and some imports from Canada for a month amid widespread fears of the economic fallout from a broader trade war. Here’s the story from the Associated Press. | 