Ohio

Ohio’s current immigrant population much more diverse, still well below national level

Published

2 years ago

January 13, 2024

Ohio’s current immigrant population much more diverse, still well below national level

The proportion of immigrants in the United States is at its highest level in over a century, but that’s not the case in Ohio.

Around 15% of the national population is comprised of immigrants, compared to around 5% in Ohio, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. The proportion of Ohio’s population that is foreign-born today is far lower than in 1870, when around 14% of Ohioans were immigrants, census data shows.

However, Ohio’s immigrant communities today are far more diverse — representing a larger swath of the globe — than at any previous point in history since the federal government began collecting birthplace data in 1850, the data shows.

As immigration once again shapes up to be a major election issue in 2024, Ohio historians told The Dispatch that current political debates around immigration mirror those from the past.

“I worry as a historian because the rhetoric around (immigration) is often so divisive, and it lacks the larger historical awareness of how we’ve had these conversations before — and the country hasn’t fallen apart,” said Kevin Adams, history department chair at Kent State University.

Ohio’s immigration history

Some of Ohio’s early “immigrants” were members of Native American tribes who were displaced into the area from the east by warfare and European diseases, according to Becky Odom, a curator at The Ohio History Connection. These included tribes like the Lenape (Delaware), who were later uprooted again as white settlers moved into Ohio.

Following Ohio’s statehood in 1803, immigrants from Germany, Great Britain and Ireland made up the bulk of foreign-born Ohioans, according to Ben Baughman, another curator for the Ohio History Connection. Germans and Irish people played important roles in the construction of Ohio’s extensive canals, which served as thoroughfares for commerce long before the coming of interstate highways.

By 1860, nearly half of all immigrants living in Ohio were German, with the rest mostly coming from elsewhere in northwestern Europe, according to census data.

But in the late 19th century, immigration to the U.S. underwent a dramatic shift, with more southern and eastern Europeans arriving.

“The new immigration was really important in places like Cleveland, especially as various European ethnic groups showed up … (building) communities rooted around … factories … their own churches, their own parishes — we get increasing numbers of Jews and Eastern Orthodox Christians,” said Adams.

By 1910, nearly 15% of Americans and almost 13% of Ohioans were foreign-born, a figure that does not include children of immigrants born locally.

But the U.S. began to restrict immigration in the 1910s, culminating in country-specific quotas that were set in 1924, according to Adams. The quotas, which were influenced by eugenics and “scientific racism,” severely restricted immigration from much of the world besides northwestern Europe and — unintentionally — overland immigration from Latin America, he said.

The quota system was finally dismantled by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which allowed a much broader range of people to immigrate.

Since 1970, the U.S. has experienced a dramatic rebound in immigration, but the rebound has been slower and smaller in Ohio, according to census data. The proportion of immigrants in the state grew from 2.4% in 1990 to 4.9% in 2022, according to the census’ American Community Survey.

Nationally, around half of foreign-born U.S. residents today come from Latin America, followed by Asia (around 31%), Europe (approximately 11%) and Africa (around 5%).

Most of Ohio’s foreign-born residents come from Asia, with India the top country of origin. African and Latin American immigrants together make up over one-third of Ohio’s immigrants.

Persecution, opportunity and anti-immigrant sentiment

The factors that draw immigrants to Ohio — such as economic opportunity, freedom from persecution and war abroad — have remained fairly constant over the centuries, according to Odom, the Ohio History Connection curator.

“For us as students of history, history is very cyclical. … There are always going to be people in the world who see this state and this country as a place of opportunity,” she said.

Baughman, her colleague, said that anti-immigration sentiment is as old as immigration itself.

Baughman pointed to examples of anti-German riots led by the “Know-Nothing Party” in Cincinnati in 1855, followed by rising anti-Irish and anti-Chinese sentiment in the late 1800s.

Amidst the Great Migration following World War I, Black migrants from the American South to northern states like Ohio encountered opposition similar to immigrants from abroad, said Odom.

Adams said that labor groups were historically more critical of immigration than they are today, because they sometimes saw immigrants as competitors with American workers.

“In the early 1970s … folks on the left — union folks and African American civil rights groups — were interested in discussing immigration restriction, whereas those on the right, who were interested in capitalist market development and anti-union politics, were in favor of immigration,” he said.

Brian Hayashi, who is a professor of American history at Kent State, said he sees common intellectual roots between current opposition to immigration and the anti-immigrant fervor of the early 20th century.

“There is a desire to understand the United States as a nation of northern and western European people and values … But the problem is the United States isn’t that country anymore, and arguably, it hasn’t been since about 1880,” Hayashi said.

Peter Gill covers immigration, New American communities and religion for the Dispatch in partnership with Report for America. You can support work like his with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America at:bit.ly/3fNsGaZ.

pgill@dispatch.com

@pitaarji

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Ohio

DOE aims to end Biden student loan repayment plan. What it means for Ohio

Published

11 hours ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

DOE aims to end Biden student loan repayment plan. What it means for Ohio

The Department of Education has agreed to a settlement to end the Biden-era SAVE student loan repayment plan.
Over seven million borrowers currently on the SAVE plan will need to select a new repayment program if the court approves the settlement.
Ohio has about 1.7 million student loan borrowers and over $60 billion in debt. The average student loan debt in the state is approximately $35,072.

Student loan borrowers under the Biden-era student loan repayment plan, Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE), may soon have to select a new repayment plan after the U.S. Department of Education agreed to a measure to permanently end the program.

A proposed joint settlement agreement announced Tuesday between the DOE and the State of Missouri seeks to end what officials call the “illegal” SAVE program, impacting more than seven million SAVE borrowers who would have to enroll in another program. The settlement must be approved by the court before it can be implemented.

Ohio borrowers carry some of the nation’s highest student loan debt. Here’s how the proposed change could affect them.

What is the SAVE plan?

Originally known as REPAYE, the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan was created to deliver the lowest monthly payments among income-driven repayment programs. Under the Biden administration, it became the most affordable option for borrowers.

According to USA TODAY, the SAVE plan was part of Biden’s push to deliver nearly $200 billion in student loan relief to more than 5 million Americans. It wiped out $5.5 billion in debt for nearly half a million borrowers and cut many monthly payments down to $0.

But officials in President Donald Trump’s administration claim the Biden plan was illegal.

Why does the Department of Education want to end the SAVE plan?

The DOE says the SAVE plan aimed to provide mass forgiveness without congressional approval, costing taxpayers $342 billion over 10 years. In a press release, the Department said the administration promised unrealistically low payments and quick forgiveness without legal authority.

“The Trump administration is righting this wrong and bringing an end to this deceptive scheme,” Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said in a release. “Thanks to the State of Missouri and other states fighting against this egregious federal overreach, American taxpayers can now rest assured they will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for illegal and irresponsible student loan policies.”

If the agreement is approved by the court, no new borrowers will be able to enroll in the SAVE plan. The agency says it will deny any pending applications and move all SAVE borrowers back into other repayment plans.

Borrowers currently enrolled in the SAVE Plan would have a limited time to select a new repayment plan and begin repaying their student loans.

The DOE adds that it is working on the loan repayment provisions of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act, which created a new Income-Driven Repayment plan called the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), that will be available to borrowers by July 1, 2026.

How many people in Ohio have student loan debt?

Numbers from the Education Data Initiative show that there are about 1.7 million student loan borrowers in Ohio, carrying over $60 billion in debt. The average student loan debt is approximately $35,072.

Ohio also ranks No. 10 among the states with the most student debt, according to personal finance site WalletHub.

How much money does Ohio get from the Department of Education?

The DOE budget for Ohio for fiscal year 2025 is estimated to be more than $5.65 billion, The Columbus Dispatch previously reported.

President Trump announced his intentions to eliminate the Department of Education earlier this year, meaning that Ohio could lose more than $5 billion in annual funding.

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Ohio

Papa Johns employee in Ohio accused of shooting, killing man inside store

Published

23 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Press Room

Papa Johns employee in Ohio accused of shooting, killing man inside store

Updated on: December 10, 2025 / 7:32 PM EST
/ CBS Pittsburgh

An employee of a Papa Johns restaurant in Cincinnati, Ohio, is accused of shooting and killing a man inside the store on Tuesday night.

Police in Cincinnati said Murphy Tilk, 21, fatally shot 23-year-old Nawaf Althawadi inside the West Price Hill restaurant around 11 p.m., CBS affiliate WKRC reported. When first responders arrived at the restaurant on West Eighth Street, they performed life-saving measures on Althawadi, who died at the scene. Officials said the 21-year-old Tilk, who was taken into custody without incident and charged, is a Papa Johns employee, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Tilk booked into the Hamilton County Justice Center on a first-degree murder charge, the center’s records show. During Tilk’s initial court appearance on Wednesday, he was held without bond. The 21-year-old man has a bond hearing set for Saturday.

Law enforcement has not said what led up to the shooting or if Tilk and Althawadi knew each other. Police are investigating the shooting.

KDKA reached out to Papa Johns on Wednesday evening for comment, but has not heard back.

Papa Johns is a pizza chain with 6,000 locations globally, according to its website. It has 15 locations in Cincinnati.

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Ohio

Ohio State Falls to No. 13 Illinois, 88-80, Despite Best Efforts of Bruce Thornton

Published

2 days ago

December 10, 2025

Press Room

Ohio State Falls to No. 13 Illinois, 88-80, Despite Best Efforts of Bruce Thornton

Bruce Thornton’s best efforts weren’t enough.

Ohio State’s longtime star guard delivered another signature performance in his team’s uphill climb against No. 13 Illinois on Tuesday. Thornton racked up 34 points on 13-of-17 shooting, his second 30-point performance of the season. But he was still just a man. The Fighting Illini had a flight of well-coordinated, sharp-shooting soldiers.

TEAM	1	2	FINAL
#13 ILLINOIS	48	40	88
OHIO STATE	42	38	80

Illinois (8-2, 1-0 Big Ten) led the final 16 minutes of its 88-80 win over Ohio State (8-2, 1-1), keeping the Buckeyes at arm’s length most of the way despite only twice leading by double-digits.

Four Illini reached double-figures. Freshman guard Keaton Wagler paced the squad with 23 points, trailed closely by fellow guard Andrej Stojakovic (17 points) and forward David Mirkovic (22 points). Center Zvonimir Ivisic added 13 points.

Devin Royal, Christoph Tilly and John Mobley Jr. all hit double figures for Ohio State to join Thornton, but did so at the cost of a combined 12-of-36 shooting (33.3%) and 2-of-16 from 3 (12.5%). Tilly fouled out of the game in the final minute.

First Half

ILLINOIS	STAT	OHIO STATE
88	POINTS	80
24-54 (44.4%)	FGM-FGA (PCT.)	28-61 (45.9%)
11-27 (40.7%)	3PM-3PA (PCT.)	9-28 (32.1%)
29-32 (90.6%)	FTM-FTA (PCT.)	15-21 (71.4%)
9	TURNOVERS	6
37	TOTAL REBOUNDS	30
9	OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS	7
28	DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS	23
15	BENCH POINTS	2
3	BLOCKS	2
0	STEALS	3
12	ASSISTS	11

Bruce Thornton and Christoph Tilly worked to keep Ohio State afloat in the early stretches.

Thornton drained a trio of triples, stepping into two in transition, including a contested look at least seven feet beyond the arc. Tilly opened the game’s scoring with an offensive rebound he stuck back, then showcased a nice arsenal of dribble moves and spins to attack the basket, drawing a foul once and making a layup another time.

But the Illinois shooters were orange hot. The Illini drained four consecutive 3-point attempts, three from Mirkovic and one from Ivisic, to charge ahead 24-15. Thornton answered with a corner 3 off an inbounds pass and a steal for a coast-to-coast layup, then the Illini strung together four points to push their lead back to eight.

Thornton remained undeterred. He rose above a strong contest for a baseline jumper, pump-faked an Illinois defender to make him fly by to drain another 3-pointer. Then he flew past a defender for a transition layup and canned another triple from the left wing to give Ohio State its first lead in more than 11 minutes at 34-33.

Chants of “Bruce” rang about the Schottenstein Center as the crowd got to its loudest volume of the night, rising to get their star senior a standing ovation. Thornton scored 24 points in the first half and started 9-of-9 shooting, including a 6-of-6 mark from distance.

The momentum didn’t maintain. Illinois launched an 11-0 run capped by a circus 3-pointer from Wagler and carried a 48-42 lead into halftime, though Devin Royal beat the buzzer to get the deficit back to six for Ohio State.

Second Half

Thornton finally got a bit of sustained scoring support to start the second half. Brandon Noel made a 3-pointer, and John Mobley Jr. connected on two floaters in the lane before freshman forward Amare Bynum got on the board with a nice drive and finish. A gorgeous double-clutch layup by Thornton tied the ballgame at 53.

The Buckeyes went 3:17 without changing the number in their score column as Illinois pushed back ahead 61-56. Tilly picked up his fourth foul during the stretch, impacting Ohio State’s lineup, in a game laden with foul calls. A Wagler 3-pointer and two Ivisic free throws extended the Illini edge to 66-58.

Fouls piled up on both sides. Exchanges of free throws kept the margin relatively the same as both teams were in the double bonus midway through the period. Illinois proved far more efficient at that game, however. A spin into a floater by Stojakovic pushed the Illinois lead back to three scores again with under six minutes to play.

It bounced back and forth between a two- and three-score lead several more times for the Illini, each reextension feeling like a tiny dagger plunged into the Buckeyes’ collective heart.

Ohio State went to a full-court press in the final two minutes and chipped the lead back down to a single score on a layup by Devin Royal, which made it 79-76 with less than 75 seconds remaining. But a friendly bounce – for Illinois, that is – on a 3-pointer by Ivisic stuck one final dagger in at 82-76 with 45 seconds to play.

What’s Next?

Ohio State plays the first of back-to-back neutral-site games with power-conference opponents, taking on West Virginia in Cleveland on Saturday. Tipoff is at 8 p.m. on ESPNU.

Game Notes

The Buckeyes held a “Teddy Bear Toss” at halftime, with fans throwing stuffed animals onto the court to donate to children through the Ronald McDonald House.
Illinois shot 7-of-14 (50%) from 3 in the first half.
The contest featured 48 total personal fouls called between the two teams.
Ohio State is now 77-110 all-time against Illinois.

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