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More than half of Ohio Immigrant Hotline reports came from Columbus area

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More than half of Ohio Immigrant Hotline reports came from Columbus area


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  • A statewide hotline for immigrants in Ohio has seen nearly half its calls come from the Columbus area.
  • Calls to the Ohio Immigrant Hotline surged after increased ICE activity in Columbus in December 2025.
  • The hotline connects callers with legal aid, provides financial support, and helps resolve civil rights issues.
  • More than 500 incidents were reported to the hotline between January 2025 and February 2026.

Nearly half of the more than 500 incidents reported to the Ohio Immigrant Hotline in the past year were from Columbus-area callers.

The hotline, which is run by advocacy group Ohio Immigrant Alliance, serves loved ones of immigrants; immigrants (including those in detention) who need help; ordinary and concerned Ohioans; and professionals who are seeking guidance on how to deal with ICE enforcement actions against their staff, clients, customers and community.

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The hotline launched in January 2025, when President Donald Trump took office for his second term, promising increased immigration enforcement. It catalogued 548 incidents between its start and February 2026, according to a report released March 25 titled “Connecting Ohio: The Ohio Immigrant Hotline’s First Year in Action.”

The goal is to provide immediate help and to use data to advocate for systemic change, according to the report.

Of the 548 incidents, 229 happened in an 11-county region of central Ohio. A 21-county region in northeast Ohio had the second-most at 123.

After a wave of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests and activity in December in Columbus, dubbed “Operation Buckeye” by ICE, hotline calls surged and haven’t let up, said Lynn Tramonte, executive director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance.

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Hotline staffers who speak English, Spanish, French and other languages handled 94 incidents in December.

Before that, the hotline’s busiest month was October, with 40 incidents.

Last year, the hotline averaged 39 incidents a month, the report said, but this year that has ballooned to 96 monthly. Most of the incidents were reported via email, with the most common reports discussing ICE and Border Patrol activity within the state.

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Who called the Ohio Immigrant Hotline?

The Ohio Immigrant Alliance often gets requests for help from individuals, but the hotline allowed it to be able to report and track its work, according to the report.

Though some people thought the hotline was ICE’s tip line and reported immigrants’ presence and a few harassing or prank calls, the majority wanted to help immigrants, according to the report.

“It’s heartening,” the report reads, about those wishing to help. “The spirit of solidarity and community in Ohio is real.”

The hotline manager, who the Alliance did not name because of threats to their safety, has often engaged with people in distress, including those who cannot find a loved one they suspect may have been arrested and detained by ICE. There were 73 reports of arrests by ICE or Customs and Border Patrol agents.

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The hotline gathers details about those individuals and connects callers with resources to help.

Other callers have included attorneys or friends of detainees calling because medication or other needs are being denied to someone in detention.

What has the hotline accomplished?

The hotline helped people find immigration attorneys; deposited thousands of dollars in immigration detention commissary and phone accounts for 50 people; helped families raise money for attorneys, filing fees, medical needs, and support after deportation; and connected callers to volunteer, donation, and advocacy opportunities.

The hotline also helped defend civil rights and the quality of life for detained immigrants. After reports from immigrants in detention detailed violations of Ramadan meal services, the Ohio Immigrant Hotline notified the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio. The ACLU Ohio resolved the issue with leadership at the jail, which was not identified in the report.

The Ohio Immigrant Alliance is also part of a lawsuit due to one report that came in through the hotline.

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People can report incidents about ICE arrests and raids to the Ohio Immigrant Hotline, at 419-777-HELP or 4357 or hotline@ohioimmigrant.org. Resources for immigrants and advocates can be found at OhioIsHome.org.

Underserved Communities Reporter Danae King can be reached at dking@dispatch.com or on X at @DanaeKing.



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Ohio

Storms cause widespread power outages across Northeast Ohio

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Storms cause widespread power outages across Northeast Ohio


Tens of thousands of FirstEnergy customers were without power across Northeast Ohio due to severe thunderstorms across the area on Sunday.

As of 11:05 p.m., the following outages were reported by FirstEnergy:

  • Cuyahoga: 37,258
  • Ashtabula: 9,373
  • Lake: 3,733
  • Lorain: 2,199
  • Geauga: 1,221

Severe Thunderstorms leave widespread damage across Northeast Ohio

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Ohio

Report shows Ohio caregivers experiencing stress, financial struggles

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Report shows Ohio caregivers experiencing stress, financial struggles


COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A new study from AARP Ohio shows many Ohioans who are caring for aging parents and other adults are struggling financially.  

Brian O’Rourke with the Health Policy Institute of Ohio noted that one out four Ohioans identify as family caregivers and most of them are doing the work without pay. 

“That’s just additional stress and strain that can just contribute to that overall pressure,” O’Rourke said. “It can take people out of the workforce. And that’s when you look to the next level of, you know, potential stresses on our state economy, if people are leaving the workforce.”   

According to the report, 93% of Ohio caregivers have spent their own money to provide care, groceries, housing costs, and medicine. Seven in 10 caregivers also experienced at least one financial hardship, such as taking on more debt or leaving bills unpaid.   

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“A major reason why there are so many informal family caregivers is that it’s really hard to find and hire like a home health aide,” O’Rourke said. “Ohio is really lagging behind a lot of other states in our home health workforce. We have about nine home health workers per 1000 population.”   

O’Rourke shared that family members can get paid through programs like Medicaid, but usually it’s an informal caregiving category many people find themselves in. Nearly two-thirds of caregivers are trying to balance their job and family, and 47% say they are strained. He explained that it’s on policy makers to develop meaningful solutions.   

“There is a bipartisan bill in the Ohio house that is essentially working to create a study commission to identify some solutions,” O’Rourke said. “I think anything that can boost, you know, wages and recruitment into the field, I think it really does.”   

If you would like to read the full report, click here. 

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Ohio Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 Midday winning numbers for June 13, 2026

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The Ohio Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at June 13, 2026, results for each game:

Powerball

Powerball drawings are held Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m.

03-13-44-50-53, Powerball: 02, Power Play: 4

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Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 3

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.

Midday: 9-4-8

Evening: 8-4-3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Pick 4

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.

Midday: 9-3-7-1

Evening: 6-5-7-2

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 5

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.

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Midday: 2-2-3-5-5

Evening: 4-3-3-5-0

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Rolling Cash 5

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 7:05 p.m.

04-07-19-21-28

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Check Rolling Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Classic Lotto

Drawings are held Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, at approximately 7:05 p.m.

02-09-20-26-36-38, Kicker: 1-0-8-1-1-3

Check Classic Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Millionaire for Life

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 11:15 p.m.

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03-05-11-13-49, Bonus: 01

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Enquirer digital news director. You can send feedback using this form.



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