Indiana resident pleads for help, transparency as exploding migrant population overwhelms community

Residents of a rural Indiana city are begging for help from the government as many insist a mass influx of migrants has overwhelmed the community.

"We need some help here. We need some federal help. We need transparency between our local officials, and we need some more information and communication," warned Dave Price, a resident of Logansport, approximately 78 miles north of Indianapolis.

Appearing Wednesday on "FOX & Friends," Price relayed the on-the-ground struggle residents face as more immigrants come into the area.

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A family of Central American migrants walk after crossing the border fence from Tijuana, Baja California State, Mexico, to the U.S. on Dec. 30, 2018. The migrant crisis remains a hot button issue ahead of the 2024 election. (Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images)

"Logansport is just not used to [this]. We had immigrants come in throughout the years to Logansport from the Mexico area, so we have a lot of Hispanics in the area which have acclimated very well, and they've grown their businesses, and they've earned the respect of Americans, and we've respected them in return," he said.

"But what we're seeing now is a little different. It's coming from a Third World country coming into Logansport, and these individuals don't necessarily know the local laws or rules and how to behave here, basically, and we just ask that our local leaders, state and federal, take a look at Logansport, Indiana."

While it is unknown exactly how many migrants have come into the area over the last three years, one area resident estimated the number could surpass 2,000, local outlet FOX 59 reported.

The situation was described as "unsustainable."

"Migrant spiritual leaders told city leaders that 5,000 Haitian immigrants have recently moved to the city, but the mayor said he has no way of verifying that number," the outlet wrote in a report published last week, adding that finding out an accurate number is important since Logansport's "budgets, money and services" are planned on the basis of its 18,000 census population.

The report also indicated that even the mayor, Chris Martin, has been left in the dark about the number of migrants in Logansport. However, he has noted a "20% to 30% increase" in traffic and school and hospital populations. 

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He has even considered declaring a state of emergency, FOX 59 reported.

It's believed that many migrants arrived to work at a local Tyson Foods plant.

When contacted by the local outlet via phone and email, the plant did not respond to questions.

The crisis has reportedly fueled several key problems, including a strain on local services like schools, housing and health facilities, though Logansport Memorial Hospital says there are additional reasons for skyrocketing birth rates.

"Logansport Memorial has seen an increase in births this year but partially due to area hospitals closing their OB departments. Dukes, a CHS hospital, in Peru closed in June of 2024. Parkview Wabash closed in 2023. Pulaski County closed in January of 2022. And Carroll County does not have a hospital. IU White County has not delivered babies for several years. LMH is on track to have 566 births, approximately 12% of those are newcomers. Medicaid has not increased their rates in 30 years. This has put a significant burden on OB care in the state of Indiana," the hospital said in a statement.

Price told Fox News he hopes positive changes come eventually.

"We just want people to feel safe here in Logansport. It's been a great community to live in the last century, and it's been a wonderful place to raise your family and do business in, and we want to continue down that path," he said.

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