Charleroi, Pennsylvania is another small town grappling with an influx of Haitian migrants that is causing significant problems for its residents. While the media has been focusing on Springfield, Ohio, and their struggles with the same issue, other towns like Charleroi are also feeling the strain. Located on the banks of the Monongahela River in the western part of the state, south of Pittsburgh, this rural town has experienced a 2000% increase in its Haitian migrant population according to activist group America-2100.
As a result of this surge, crime rates and traffic altercations have skyrocketed, with residents reporting incidents such as migrants attacking people on the street, stealing cars, and causing accidents throughout the area. In March, local news station WPXI-TV reported that the rising number of immigrant children has pushed the local schools to their breaking point, with administrators and teachers struggling to educate these students who often do not speak English or have any prior school experience.
An 11th-grade student told the station that many migrant students are not learning anything in class because they can’t understand what is being taught, despite attending free schools. Charleroi School Superintendent Dr. Ed Zelich noted that accommodating these new students has cost his school hundreds of thousands of dollars, and they are expecting to spend even more in the coming year, with no additional funding from the state.
Charleroi councilman Larry Celaschi recently spoke with America-2100 about the challenges his community is facing due to this massive influx of migrants. He expressed frustration that his town is not receiving any financial support to help accommodate these new residents and questioned where the funds are coming from for those responsible for bringing them in.
Former President Donald Trump also highlighted the issues faced by Charleroi and other towns dealing with an increase in Haitian migrants, emphasizing the need for action on this growing problem.