In a quiet corner of Indiana, the small city of Logansport, with a population of just 18,000, has become a focal point in the ongoing debate over immigration policy. Over the past few years, an unprecedented influx of migrants from Haiti and various other countries has left local residents feeling uneasy and unsafe in their once-sleepy town. As frustrations grow, many blame Vice President Kamala Harris and President Biden for what they see as a failure to manage the crisis effectively.
Local residents are sounding the alarm, echoing the sentiment of Candice Espinoza, a 32-year-old photographer and mother. “Do something. Our community cannot withstand this many people being here,” she implored, highlighting the urgency of the situation. Another resident, Nancy Baker, 44, expressed her exasperation with the administration, stating bluntly, “Get off my property.” Baker lamented how Harris has consistently deflected questions regarding the administration’s border policies, leaving locals feeling abandoned.
While precise numbers are hard to come by, Cass County Health Department Administrator Serenity Alter estimates that the surrounding area’s population has surged nearly 30% in recent years. This influx suggests that more than 11,000 new migrants may have arrived in Cass County, which had a total population of around 38,000 in 2020. Logansport Mayor Chris Martin estimates that between 2,000 to 3,000 migrants from Haiti have arrived over the last four years, contributing to a dramatic increase in the number of Haitian students in local schools—from just 14 in 2021 to 207 this year.
The effects of this rapid demographic shift are being felt in the community, especially in the local school system. Nancy Baker’s daughter, Cheyanne, who was once an honor roll student, dropped out of high school due to the overwhelming classroom dynamics. “There were way too many kids,” Baker explained, emphasizing that the language barriers faced by new students led to them receiving more attention from teachers. As a result, Cheyanne and other long-time students felt neglected, ultimately prompting her to switch to online homeschooling.
Cheyanne’s experience is not unique; many students are finding it increasingly difficult to compete for academic resources. “You can’t just focus all your resources on one group of children and let everyone else fall behind,” Baker noted. The frustration is palpable, with many parents expressing concern about the future of their children’s education.
Beyond the academic challenges, residents report feeling unsafe in their community. Baker recounted a harrowing incident where her daughter was verbally accosted by Haitian migrants while walking to a local coffee shop. “She had to run all the way down to the coffee shop,” Baker said, highlighting a growing sense of fear among locals. Espinoza echoed these concerns, sharing that she feels constantly watched by groups of migrants who loiter in her neighborhood. “It’s not safe. They just stare at you,” she lamented, revealing that she has installed security cameras at her home due to escalating fears.
This increased tension comes amid claims that the federal government’s lackadaisical approach to immigration has directly impacted local children. “We can help people, that’s fine. But not at the cost of our children,” Baker stated, articulating a sentiment that resonates deeply among residents who feel their voices are being ignored.
Residents like Espinoza are increasingly vocal about their dissatisfaction with the Biden administration, indicating they may turn to former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election. “I know that when he becomes president, that’s when our state will become better,” she asserted. Her frustrations extend to the administration’s handling of immigration policy, particularly during Harris’s time as border czar, which many see as ineffective.
As local health officials grapple with the consequences of this migrant surge, they are reporting alarming increases in medical visits and communicable diseases. Serenity Alter, the county health administrator, noted that conditions in migrant housing—often overcrowded with 20 to 25 individuals sharing a single space—have led to outbreaks of illnesses like tuberculosis. “This surge has created a drastic climb in medical visits,” she explained, emphasizing the strain on local healthcare resources.
The unfolding situation in Logansport mirrors similar reports from cities like Springfield, Ohio, and Charleroi, Pennsylvania, where communities are grappling with the ramifications of rapid population shifts attributed to current federal immigration policies. Mayor Chris Martin has acknowledged that the city is facing “some assimilation issues,” attributing them to “different cultural beliefs.”
Frustrated with the lack of support from national leaders, Martin expressed a desire for political figures like Trump and Harris to stop using small towns as pawns in their political games. “Simply put: Stop playing politics with the smaller communities. We don’t like this. We don’t appreciate this. We would rather you do your job and actually do something instead of talking about this,” he stated.
As Logansport continues to navigate this unprecedented challenge, the voices of its residents resonate with a plea for more effective leadership and a return to a sense of safety and normalcy in their community. The struggles faced by families in Logansport highlight the complexities of immigration policy and its direct impact on everyday Americans, urging policymakers to reconsider the ramifications of their decisions on small towns across the nation.
