Lockland, a small town in Ohio, has experienced a massive influx of migrants from Mauritania following the Biden-Harris administration’s open border policy. The population of Lockland, which was around 3,500, has nearly doubled due to the arrival of 3,000 migrants from Mauritania in just a few months. This has put a strain on the town’s resources and services, with local officials feeling overwhelmed by the sudden increase in population. The migrants, who are mostly from the Muslim-majority country in West Africa, were directed to Lockland through social media platforms like TikTok and WhatsApp.
The migrants from Mauritania are currently residing in Lockland, awaiting approval to work legally in the United States, which can take over a year. This has led to a significant economic impact on the town, with Mayor Mark Mason estimating a $200,000 shortfall in earnings income tax revenue as a result of the migrants not being able to work legally. The situation has also led to concerns about the migrants not paying taxes and the strain it is putting on the town’s resources. The influx of migrants to Lockland appears to be part of a larger trend of migrants settling in small towns across Ohio, such as Springfield, which has seen an influx of Haitians in recent years.
The sudden increase in population due to the arrival of migrants from Mauritania has put a strain on Lockland’s emergency services, with the fire chief and town administrator reporting a 12% increase in emergency calls. The majority of these calls are related to incidents in apartment complexes where the migrants are residing, with cooking fires being a common occurrence. Language barriers and minor public safety issues have also posed challenges for the local police force, as many of the migrants speak Arabic and French. The fire department has struggled to communicate fire safety information to the migrants due to language barriers.
Despite the challenges posed by the influx of migrants, Lockland has not received any assistance to help deal with the overwhelming situation. Mayor Mason has expressed concerns about the village’s ability to absorb such a rapid increase in population and the strain it is placing on resources. The town is facing economic challenges due to the migrants not being able to work legally, further complicating the situation. Mayor Mason emphasized that the issue is not about the nationality of the migrants, but rather about the town’s capacity to handle such a large increase in population.
The town has seen an increase in emergency calls related to incidents in the apartment complexes where the migrants are residing, with cooking fires being a common occurrence. Language barriers have posed challenges for local law enforcement and fire departments in communicating with the migrants and addressing public safety issues. Mayor Mason has acknowledged that the attention on the situation has led to more calls for assistance, but stresses that the town is facing financial strain as a result of the influx of migrants. The mayor emphasized that Lockland did not invite the migrants to settle in the town and is not profiting from their presence, highlighting the economic hardships the town is facing due to the situation.
