In March 2020 — during the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, Title 42 was enacted.
It gave U-S Border Control Agents the authority to stop migrants from entering this country to reduce the potential spread of the deadly virus.
At 11 p.m. on May 11, the Biden Administration ended this policy.
Since Title 42 went into effect in March 2020 — U-S Border Control Agents have turned away almost 2 million migrants at the U-S/Mexican border. This according to the American Immigration Council. But during the same period, U-S Customs and Borders Protection report agents encountered more than 6.5 million migrants.
As this policy ends, some fear Ohio communities will be vulnerable to illegal activities.
“We don’t know the background of these people or who they are,” Dan Lusheck. He is the communications director of the Ohio Republican Party. “We’ve seen a massive influx of illegal and very dangerous drugs coming across the border from Mexico and they’re ending up in Ohio communities,” explained Luscheck. “It’s very dangerous for our families.”
Meanwhile, Dayton immigration attorney and Democrat Mohamed Al Hamdani contends more immigration actually means less crime, “because immigrants know they have to follow the law to gain permanent residence in the United States.”
Instead, Al Hamdani says immigrants are revitalizing one part of Dayton.
“North Dayton had a lot of blighted houses that were falling apart. The Ahiska Turks who came into North Dayton and that community took it upon themselves to rehab those homes to make them habitable for their families who were coming in,” explained Al Hamdani.
He also suggests some immigrants can be relocated to low population areas in order to revitalize small towns.
Al Hamdani also emphasizes that while most immigrants pay taxes, they are not eligible for social services.
“Immigrants who are ineligible to vote, ineligible to get any benefits from the United States, contribute close to five billion dollars to the United States,” he said. But Lusheck believes an influx of immigrants will further drain resources from non-profits that are already struggling to help American families.
However, both men agree — many immigrants are skilled trade workers and contribute to Dayton's workforce.
