Charleroi's immigrant influx prompts council to bring immigration lawyer to address questions at meeting
CHARLEROI, Pa. (KDKA) -- A lawyer was brought to Charleroi Borough's council meeting on Wednesday night to answer questions related to the surge in the immigrant population in the town.
Charleroi's immigrant population has surged recently with a majority of migrants coming from Haiti, creating some division within the borough. Borough leaders say the migrants are an asset.
The lawyer, who specializes in immigration, was brought to the meeting to answer questions from both council members and residents.
Attorney Joseph Murphy fielded questions about people who come into the United States under a Temporary Protected Status with one resident asking what kind of benefits they receive from the government.
"So TPS, in and of itself, is just a protected status of immigration," Murphy said. "It means they can stay here. They can legally work here. And of course, they would get a social security number."
Murphy added that TPS alone doesn't mean that immigrants are automatically given money.
Another thing that Murphy discussed was about healthcare is provided to immigrants.
"People think everybody who came here has full healthcare for free from the government," one resident said.
"No, that's not true," Murphy said. "I routinely see people that need a doctor and don't have the money.
Wednesday's meeting came shortly after a social media post advertising the presence of the Ku Klux Klan in Charleroi was urging White citizens to take up arms against the borough's migrant population.
The small town was recently thrust into the national spotlight when former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president recently mentioned the Washington County borough's growing immigrant population days after making false claims about Haitian immigrants and pets in Springfield, Ohio.
But while the borough and its school district have experienced some growing pains, the town and the immigrants say they've been a much-needed economic shot in the arm.
There are now roughly 1,000 immigrants in Charleroi, about a 20 percent increase to a population of 4,200.
Despite some claims that the town has been overrun with crime and other problems, Borough Manager Joe Manning says the immigrants are helping to rejuvenate Charleroi, stemming population loss that has plagued the valley for decades.