Bomb threat closes college in Springfield, DeWine sends money and troopers

Sept. 15 (UPI) -- A bomb threat Sunday at Clark State College in Springfield, Ohio, prompted officials to close the physical campus and hold classes virtually this week, school officials said.

Clark officials on the Springfield campus say the school received a bomb threat via email Sunday, a day after it received another emailed threat on Saturday warning of a possible shooting.

"We took immediate action with the Springfield Police Department and they have ensured our campus is secure and safe," the college said in a statement .

The college said it was moving classes online "out of an abundance of caution," stressing that it was prioritizing student safety.

"We understand the anxiety that such incidents can cause and we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness and care," Clark officials said.

"As a proactive measure, Springfield Police will also increase their security presence on campus, and we are working with our wellness team and partners to provide additional counseling services."

Springfield has been the focus of U.S. immigration policy in recent weeks and has drawn attention for how it is reacting to a huge influx of Haitian migrants to the town. The issue was brought front and center during the recent debate between presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris .

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has sent money and additional state troopers to Springfield to handle a surge in traffic problems he says are the result of an exploding migrant population.

He is also sending $2.5 million to help the city deal with a surge in healthcare issues that have surfaced with the rising migrant population.

The issue came to a head when former President Donald Trump made baseless claims during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris that Haitian immigrants in Springfield are eating residential pets , a claim flatly denied by Springfield's city manager.

During an appearance Sunday on ABC's "This Week," DeWine called Trump's claim a false " piece of garbage ."

"Let me tell you what we do know, though," DeWine continued. "What we know is that the Haitians who are in Springfield are legal. They came to Springfield to work. Ohio is on the move, and Springfield has really made a great resurgence with a lot of companies coming in."

DeWine acknowledged that the immigration surge has caused some problems for the city, namely health care and transportation issues for some Haitian migrants who have never driven before and need basic health care and driving instructions.

"Now, are there problems connected? Well, sure. There's -- when you go from a population of 58,000 and add 15,000 people onto that, you're going to have some challenges and some problems: DeWine said on "This Week." "And we're addressing those. We're working on those every single day. Primary care is essential."

DeWine called for more help from Washington as Springfield deals with the influx, specifically asking federal lawmakers for more money and a better plan to handle the immigrants.

Other members of the GOP are using Trump's false claims during the debate as a way to draw attention to their stances on immigration.

Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump's running mate, stood by his claim that Haitian migrants were eating pets in Springfield.

"The American media totally ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I started talking about cat memes," Vance said during an interview Sunday on CNN. "If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that's what I'm going to do."