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Immigration key issue in Ohio Senate, presidential races: Here are the facts
Credit: NYT
Credit: NYT
Our issues-focused coverage of this year’s elections continues this week with a deep dive into the issues of immigration.
• Background: Earlier this year we asked readers what issues matter most to them when deciding who to vote for in this year’s elections. We are using the results of that survey to produce stories focused on those issues, the facts behind them and where candidates stand on them.
• Survey says: Immigration was the top issue of concern in the race for U.S. Senate and president among respondents. Another major issue was gun regulation, which we wrote about previously. Future coverage will look at issues such as the economy, abortion, taxes and education.
• The facts: So what is the status of immigration and how does it affect Ohio? Read Lynn Hulsey’s full story here.
• Key takeaway: Encounters with migrants and law enforcement on the U.S. border with Mexico reached a record during the Biden administration in December 2023, but dropped considerably since. It’s a complicated issue where meaningful solutions are hard to come by and political will can be overstated.
• Ohio impact: Ohio’s unauthorized immigrant population is estimated at 89,000. But while the population is small, recent developments such as the influx of Haitians to Springfield and a criminal probe involving a local staffing company have raised the issue’s profile.
• Where they stand: Lynn wrote this piece on where the major party candidates for president and running to represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate stand on immigration.
• Election 2024: Our Election 2024 page is up with this and more coverage of local, state and national politics leading up to the November election.
Family of teen killed in hit-and-run lament lack of closure after suspect’s death
This week we bring you the tragic story of 14-year-old Brianna “Bri” Nicole McCarthy, who was killed in a hit-and-run crash in December, and her family’s quest for justice.
• No closure: There was no arrest in the case for months. And even after a suspect was identified and charged, the man was free on his own recognizance for additional months. He died before a trial was scheduled.
• The grandfather: “He was never found guilty of anything, and it just kills me because the court process took so long,” Michael McCarthy said. “This has kind of left us, the whole family, in limbo.”
• Zoom out: This is not an isolated incident. There have been several high-profile hit-and-run cases recently where victims’ loved ones thought justice moved frustratingly slow. The man suspected in a crash that killed four people near the Dayton International Airport was arrested months later while on vacation in New Jersey.
• Seeking answers: Aimee Hancock interviewed law enforcement officials asking why these cases take so long. Read her full report here.