Ohio Capital Journal

Following the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, communities are preparing for possible federal immigration enforcement surges. Local advocates in Springfield, Ohio, report that Haitian community members are being targeted and forced to wear ankle monitors due to threats of mass deportation linked to Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign promises.

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled that local governments cannot fast-track new data centers without providing specific reasons for the emergency declaration. This decision allows an Ashville referendum, which seeks to overturn a village council's approval of a local data center project and natural gas plant, to move forward to the ballot. The ruling stated that the village resolution did not sufficiently explain why waiting 30 days would unnecessarily delay the project.

Despite multiple allegations of domestic violence and calls for him to resign from various political figures and constituents, U.S. Rep. Max Miller is still running for reelection in November. Fellow congressional Republicans and Democrats have called for consequences or an ethics investigation, while the Speaker of the House stated he would not ask Miller to step down.

Several states have enacted laws to limit surveillance pricing, which involves using a customer’s personal data to set individualized prices on goods and services. Three states—Connecticut, Maryland, and New Jersey—were among the first to pass these restrictions, though they cover different retailers and exceptions. The legislation has met with opposition from business groups concerned that the rules are overly broad and could interfere with existing discount programs.

President Trump claimed China compromised Ohio voter rolls in the 2020 election, but Ohio officials stated there was 'not a breach of any kind.' Ohio township leaders warned that abolishing property taxes would threaten emergency services and infrastructure. Federal agents were informed the FBI would no longer investigate confrontations involving ICE agents.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing over 7,000 public comments on a proposed permit for data center water discharge regulations, with no timeline for a decision. Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy claims economic growth will offset funding gaps from his proposed tax cuts, while Forbes reports Donald Trump earned $2.4 billion in the White House, three times his business revenue.

The Ohio Capital Journal's roundup highlights a submetering bill linked to GOP campaign donations and a veto by Governor Mike DeWine, the signing of a bill requiring schools to teach the 'Success Sequence,' the closure of a labor and delivery unit in Delaware County, and a campaign finance complaint against Vivek Ramaswamy alleging undisclosed payments.

A report notes a decline in Medicaid and ACA enrollment by over 5 million due to Trump's healthcare bill and expired subsidies. Ohio's Catholic bishops criticize the Trump administration's termination of Haitian TPS as a 'moral failure.' A no-bid federal contract for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation, awarded to a company linked to Ohio businessman John J. Cafaro, has drawn scrutiny.

Ohio Republican nominee for governor Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign has spent over $500,000 on a campaign credit card without disclosing individual transactions, only reporting monthly totals. Ohio law requires verification for expenses over $25, but it's unclear if the campaign provided required documentation, raising transparency concerns.

May housing starts in the U.S. fell to their lowest level since the pandemic, with an annual rate of 1.17 million, an 8.5% drop from May 2025. Builder confidence has declined due to higher material and financing costs, threatening housing progress and worsening shortages, particularly in the South and West.

The article reports that Vice President JD Vance advocated invoking the Insurrection Act after a federal agent killed a nurse protesting immigration policies in Minnesota. It also covers Ohio's proposed penalties for companies selling homework answers and criticism of tax breaks for data centers benefiting Silicon Valley and Wall Street over Ohio residents.

The Ohio Supreme Court, which is Republican-dominated, halted discovery proceedings in a case requiring public records and a deposition of former Ohio Attorney General David Yost. The decision is criticized as undermining Ohio's public records laws, which were historically bipartisan, and enabling secrecy in government aligned with MAGA Republicanism.