A regional organizing director for the Ohio Democratic Party faces scrutiny after controversial remarks about immigration policy surfaced in an audio recording.
According to Daily Mail, Kevin Oyakawa, who works on campaigns for Senator Sherrod Brown and Representative Emilia Sykes, was recorded making explicit statements about opening the border and criticizing Ohio residents' stance on immigration.
The leaked audio captured Oyakawa discussing Representative Sykes' hesitation to address immigration matters during her campaign. His comments included strong language about border policies and characterized local opposition to immigration as racially motivated.
Representative Sykes' campaign quickly distanced itself from Oyakawa's statements. Her team emphasized her support for increased border security funding and efforts to combat illegal drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl.
Senator Brown's campaign spokesperson, Matt Keyes, reinforced the senator's commitment to bipartisan border security measures. He highlighted Brown's work with both parties to address issues at the southern border and combat drug cartels.
Kevin Coughlin, Sykes' political opponent, seized on the recording to criticize her immigration policies. He suggested the audio revealed the campaign's true position on border issues.
The controversy emerges as Ohio communities grapple with significant demographic changes. Lockland, a town near Cincinnati with 3,500 residents, has received over 3,000 Mauritanian asylum seekers.
Springfield has experienced a notable increase in its Haitian population, leading to community tensions and unfounded rumors about new immigrants. Local support organizations have worked to address misconceptions and provide assistance to newcomers.
Rose-Themar Joseph, administrator of the Haitian Community and Support Center, noted that Springfield's affordability compared to coastal cities has attracted many Haitian immigrants.
Oyakawa's political involvement predates his current role. In 2017, at age 20, he launched a campaign for the DuPage County Board in Illinois while pursuing degrees in political science and economics.
His early political career faced setbacks when petition form errors prevented his name from appearing on the March 2018 ballot. At the time, Oyakawa served as president of his college's Democratic organization. According to his LinkedIn profile, Oyakawa went on to secure a position as regional organizing director for the Ohio Democratic Party, where he currently works on multiple campaigns.
In the recording, Oyakawa stated:
Open the f****** border, I don't give a s*** who the f**** comes in here. We don't need border patrol, but the issue with even talking about immigration here in Ohio is that it's a losing issue for Democrats here. For like no f****** reason other than people's pure racism.
An Ohio Democratic Party regional organizing director, Kevin Oyakawa, is facing backlash over a leaked audio recording where he voiced strong opinions on immigration, advocating for open borders and critiquing local opposition as racially motivated. The controversy prompted swift responses from Representative Emilia Sykes’ and Senator Sherrod Brown’s campaigns, both emphasizing their support for stronger border security and bipartisan measures. This incident also highlights Ohio’s current immigration challenges, with towns like Lockland and Springfield experiencing demographic shifts due to asylum seekers, leading to community tensions and efforts to support new arrivals.
