We have better stories to tell about immigration: Gina Pérez

OBERLIN, Ohio - In a recent interview with NewsNation, former President Donald Trump promised to revoke Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants and deport them if elected president . These comments follow divisive lies about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, and Charleroi, Pennsylvania, including false claims of " lawless gangs " and pet-eating . Using racist and anti-immigrant sentiment to gain votes and political favor is not new. But neither are the stories about the important role immigrants have played in our nation and state of Ohio.

Cities like Lorain proudly celebrate being the International City . All Ohio's major cities and most rural communities can tell similar stories about the ways immigrants and internal migrants have worked in the factories, farms, and fields that have made Ohio prosperous, strong, and resilient. Ohio's long and rich immigration history is narrated in stories families share about relatives who left homes in eastern and southern Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and Central and North Africa, as well as the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America to create new lives throughout the state. Migrants also came to Ohio from the rural south seeking jobs, safety, and a better life. We take great pride in these stories because they say something about who we are – people who benefit from the grit, work ethic, and sacrifice of our ancestors who model what we can do and who we should be in the world.

Family stories frequently acknowledge those who helped along the way. As people faced hardship, loneliness, and unwelcoming circumstances, they found ways of overcoming the challenges of being newcomers. They relied on people, institutions, and programs that helped them adjust, integrate, and feel safe. Churches, schools, teachers, doctors, employers, elected leaders and neighbors welcomed them, offered resources and moral support, and created organizations, policies and programs to ensure the well-being of the communities they were building together. They found what the late Columbus-based community activist Ruben Castilla Herrera referred to as sanctuary people, those who bravely defend the vulnerable, believe in the power of collective action to improve one's circumstances, and work to create the strong, safe, and supportive communities we all seek and deserve.

In Ohio, politicians have tried to co-opt the word sanctuary to make it something sinister. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno and Sen. JD Vance have used political ads to demonize sanctuary cities and tell lies they know are false. JD Vance admitted as much when he said he is willing to "create stories" to draw attention to problems in Springfield, even if they harm the community he allegedly wants to help. The consequences have been devastating, with bomb threats closing schools, hospitals, and government buildings.

Gov. Mike DeWine, a native of the Springfield area, reminded people of a different story in his New York Times op-ed: "The Springfield I know is not the one you hear about in social media rumors. It is a city made up of good, decent, welcoming people .... We know that the Haitian people want the same things we all want — a good job, the chance to get a quality education and the ability to raise a family in a safe and secure environment."

Although the vicious attacks on immigrants by Moreno and Vance have not dissuaded DeWine from supporting their candidacy, it should, because our governor, like the majority of Ohioans, knows that the stories we tell about ourselves matter. Telling a different story is both possible and urgent. Ohioans work hard every day to raise families and create inclusive communities. We sacrifice a great deal, volunteer and step up to help people in need. This is a story we know well.

In a moment when powerful people seek to pit us against each other for their own gain, we are wise to remember better stories about ourselves, our communities, and the sanctuary people who call Ohio home.

Gina Pérez is professor and chair of Comparative American Studies at Oberlin College and author of "Sanctuary People: Faith-Based Organizing in Latina/o Communities."

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