LOGANSPORT, Ind. — Candidates for Indiana’s highest and second highest office discuss how they would help communities facing an increase in migrants. 13News reached out to the campaigns following a controversial post about the increase in Haitian migrants in Logansport.
On October 11, Republican Lt. Governor candidate Micah Beckwith made a post on X stating someone was “dumping” “unassimilated migrants" in Logansport and “it’s clear that action is needed.”
13 Investigates found several of Beckwith’s claims were unsubstantiated by reviewing information and reports from local and federal sources.
Democratic Lt. Governor candidate, Dr. Terry Goodin, responded to the original post stating, “Micah Beckwith’s fear-mongering, racism, and hateful tactics harm our communities.”
Libertarian Candidate Donald Rainwater stated, “The citizens of Logansport are being exploited and the Haitian immigrants who have been granted Temporary Protected Status are being exploited for political purposes.”
Many leaders in Logansport believed the city was under the spotlight because of politics. Voters have indicated immigration is a key concern in this election. This is how the candidates for governor and lieutenant governor said they would help the city and others facing an influx of migrants.
Rainwater
Rainwater said he would help by focusing on the reason migrants move to communities like Logansport – jobs. Ball State economist Michael Hicks said migrants supplement the workforce for employers like Tyson, which has a pork processing facility in the city.
"If a corporation is or multiple corporations are sponsoring immigrants to fill jobs, then the corporations should be helping the local community to increase the infrastructure required to support the additional population. This includes, but isn't limited to, helping to provide additional infrastructure for child care, education, and housing."
McCormick
A spokesperson for the Democrats said Jennifer McCormick’s administration would focus on helping the city with its health care needs. Logansport leaders said they attribute a recent increase in Haitian migrants resulting in an increase in the use of services. Annual reports for Logansport Memorial Hospital showed a 20% increase in births. The city reported it was told 12 percent of the births this year were related to migration.
The statement for the McCormick/Goodin campaign stated in part, "... the increased births at Logansport Memorial Hospital are misattributed to immigration alone, when in reality, the closure of OBGYN services across rural Indiana is the more significant factor ... Rather than lying about the immigration situation, we should push for solutions like expanding maternal health access across the state, for all Hoosiers."
Braun
Logansport Mayor Chris Martin said he blames the federal government and the Biden administration’s immigration policies for the current influx
In a statement Braun wrote, “As Governor I will stand up for Hoosiers against bad immigration policy that is burdening our communities.”
The Republican ticket blamed the Biden administration for failing to control the boarder. Libertarian Rainwater also voiced concern the federal government was “not managing immigration properly."
"I think there's many solutions we could probably come to, but we just first have to know the problem,” Beckwith said during an interview with 13News.
“First thing you look at, obviously, is funding for local law enforcement,” he said. “And then obviously, look at the funding mechanisms for what the hospital system and the schools need. Is there anything we can do right now to sort of put a band aid on the problem, whether it's through funding or whether it's through resourcing? Let's just say, an example, let's say law enforcement needs help, you know, protecting the community, well, the governor has access to the national guard, right? So, you could look at issues like that … but I'm not the governor. That would be a question for Mike Braun.”
A spokesperson for Braun did not send a statement that specifically addressed Beckwith’s call to use the national guard or state police to “secure a town."
The mayor said he’s still trying to figure out what exactly the city needs to address the migrant issue, but reports he’s working with the Governor’s Office, Haitian community, Tyson and other stakeholders to find solutions for the city.
Full statements
Mike Braun, Republican Candidate for Governor
“The Biden-Harris open border that Jennifer McCormick endorsed is tearing our country apart, and those who have entered our country illegally must be deported. If federal government programs bring legal migrants with a temporary status to our small towns, then they should provide resources and be transparent so our local communities aren’t overwhelmed. As Governor I will stand up for Hoosiers against bad immigration policy that is burdening our communities unlike liberal Democrat Jennifer McCormick.”
Dr. Terry Goodin, Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor of Indiana
“Micah Beckwith’s fear-mongering, racism, and hateful tactics harm our communities. Instead of driving people apart, we should welcome diversity and unity. I've read my Bible from cover to cover, yet I have no idea what hymnal Micah is singing from because his god sure isn't the God I know. The God I know welcomes all people; the God I know doesn't demonize and divide.
Let's be clear: Micah Beckwith is a self-proclaimed white Christian nationalist, which means he believes you must be white, you must be what he thinks it means to be a Christian, and you must be a man if you ever hope to be protected by the government. That is not what any version of the Bible teaches, and the theory of white Christian nationalism is morally bankrupt.
Micah Beckwith and those who enable him, like Mike Braun and his extremist buddies, threaten Indiana and our fundamental values. I urge my fellow Hoosiers to reject their narrow views. Instead, let us build a state where everyone feels welcome and valued, no matter their background or beliefs. Hoosiers deserve a governor and lieutenant governor who will work with cities and communities instead of dividing people in an attempt to conquer.”
McCormick/Goodin spokeswoman
“A McCormick/Goodin administration will prioritize actually supporting Hoosiers across the state and not demagoguing about any one particular community. We will not let extremist fear-mongering or exaggeration win which puts the safety of Hoosiers at risk. For instance, the increased births at Logansport Memorial Hospital are misattributed to immigration alone, when in reality, the closure of OBGYN services across rural Indiana is the more significant factor. Three nearby hospitals have closed their OB departments since Indiana’s extreme abortion ban took effect. Declining maternal care throughout the state has led many Hoosier families to have to travel to Logansport for services. Blaming immigrants is a distraction from the terrible maternal outcomes in Indiana after twenty years of one-party rule. It distracts from and oversimplifies a complex healthcare crisis. Rather than lying about the immigration situation, we should push for solutions like expanding maternal health access across the state, for all Hoosiers. The challenges are real but not insurmountable when we focus on common sense and work together.”
Donald Rainwater, Libertarian Candidate for Governor
"Based upon the information that is available to me, I believe that this situation is being exploited for political purposes. The citizens of Logansport are being exploited and the Haitian immigrants who have been granted Temporary Protected Status are being exploited for political purposes.
As reported by the US Chamber of Commerce, Indiana businesses are experiencing a worker shortage. Legal immigration can help to reduce the gap between unfilled jobs and the people needed to fill them. While we definitely have an issue with our government not managing immigration properly, we must understand that immigration has become another issue that the elite political class is using to create problems that it can use to divide and distract voters.
If a corporation is or multiple corporations are sponsoring immigrants to fill jobs, then the corporations should be helping the local community to increase the infrastructure required to support the additional population. This includes, but isn't limited to, helping to provide additional infrastructure for childcare, education, and housing. A community's economic growth should be organic in order to be sustainable. When large scale population growth is created rapidly and intentionally, those who force the growth must be responsible for funding and implementing the required infrastructure growth to sustain the population growth.
The burden of supporting and sustaining mass forced economic development and/or employment should never be on the citizens of a community. It should be on the corporate interests who require and benefit from the economic development and/or employment."