The influx of “legal” migrants in Springfield, Ohio, and in our own Alabama towns of Sylacauga, Athens, and now Coffee County, is finally capturing national attention – and rightly so.
Abuse by the Biden-Harris administration toward the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan (CHNV) Parole Program has caused this unchecked and mismanaged overrun of small, formerly peaceful, and pastoral towns, further causing a drain on essential services and resources.
As former Trump administration Immigration Advisor Jay Palmer wrote in his 1819 News open letter to Gov. Kay Ivey:
To recap, the reason for the influx of Haitians is the open border and CHNV Program, jobs by staffing companies, available housing and sponsors trafficking workers to the communities. It takes a trained eye to look at an immigration document in order to determine a true status. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has made it clear to local law enforcement that they will not detain an ‘illegal migrant’ unless it meets a certain threshold, which is usually a violent crime.
Such violent crime has not yet happened in Athens or Sylacauga (that we know of), but it has happened in Prattville, Daleville, and Argo, and the CHNV parole program only sets the stage for it to occur in other towns. If you’re not convinced, just listen to citizens from this Springfield, Ohio, city commission meeting, as well as the commentary by radio host Steve Deace, who was a guest of journalist and podcast host Megyn Kelly:
Deace made two major points: 1) We have no excuse for this, and 2) in the past, institutions incentivized immigrants to assimilate into American culture, but that is no longer the case.
I blame the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local churches that partnered with them, because if they are going to facilitate and champion this influx, then it is their job to ensure these migrants are not just taught about American culture, but taught basic hygiene, manners and how to drive.
My own interviews of people in Athens show these sponsors and hosts are failing miserably. Athens residents have documented Haitians stealing food from Walmart, simply opening up packages, eating the contents in store, and then discarding the rest – something also happening in Ohio. One unfortunate Athens mother had her fence mowed down because of the lack of driver training given to the Haitians. She posted this message and video on Facebook.
But these NGOs and local churches are not only complicit in the lack of assimilation of these migrants and the destruction they cause; they are also complicit in the lives inevitably caught in the net of human trafficking. As Palmer writes in his open letter: “I spoke at a Haitian church to find people who are being trafficked. It worked.”
One form of abuse and mismanagement is ultimately a cover for human trafficking. How many young boys and young girls are being exploited right under our noses? How many have been enrolled in our country’s schools? Is anyone watching?
The sponsors and hosts are supposed to be the watchers, instead they are collecting large sums of money from the government under the guise of compassion and Christian charity, while the victims are the human capital they use. Meanwhile, unsuspecting residents simply trying to live and enjoy their lives must watch as their communities are torn apart.
Just as in Springfield, Ohio, the residents of Athens, Sylacauga and Coffee County are not content watching Rome burn while elected leaders like Sylacauga Mayor Jim Heigl and federal government officials fiddle.
Candidate for Coffee County District 1 Commissioner Clint Grantham told 1819 News that the area has been dealing with issues such as increased city code violations, violence and theft brought on by the flooding of migrants to their community. Grantham has organized a meeting on Sept. 19 to address the concerns.
"We're having the meeting because we can't ignore what is obvious any longer," Grantham told 1819 News. "[T]he purpose of acting now is that we have no idea what's going to happen with the presidential election on November 5. We don't know who we're going to get for president. Regardless of who we get for president, this situation is already at a point to where it's dangerous."
Other residents are focusing on exposing those who appear to be using their positions to further this abuse, like Athens City Councilman Chris Seibert, as 1819 News reported:
He has used his political position to cheat the people of Athens out of tax revenue desperately needed for the large influx of growth in this community. He has a vested interest in migrants that fill his and family members properties quickly, and it is unclear whether Athens citizens have been harmed by this conflict of interest. It is also a conflict of interest for a sitting Council Member to investigate inhumane treatment of these migrants in housing properties that he owns.
As I and other 1819 News journalists continue to uncover this deliberate destruction to the fabric of our great state and nation, I will work with the residents of Athens to uncover the well-paid organizations who wish to foster this destruction.
One Athens grandmother who spoke to me said it well: “They act like we are a bunch of racist people who should not ever question anything. Which tells me they are all in on it.”
There are many working behind the scenes to expose the truth.
Jennifer Oliver O'Connell, As the Girl Turns, is an investigative journalist, author, opinion analyst, and contributor to 1819 News, Redstate, and other publications. Jennifer writes on Politics and Pop Culture, with occasional detours into Reinvention, Yoga, and Food. You can read more about Jennifer's world at her As the Girl Turns website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Telegram.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819news.com.
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