Trump cites Charleroi in campaign speech

He pointed to the borough’s large Haitian population as an example of out-ofcontrol immigration.

The national spotlight has found its way to Charleroi after former President Donald Trump brought up the increasing immigrant population in the Magic City during a campaign speech Thursday in Tucson, Ariz.

In his speech, Trump referenced Charleroi as a small 4,000-person town and brought up the immigrants who have moved to the borough over the past few years.

“What a beautiful name, but it’s not so beautiful now,” Trump said. “It has experienced a 2,000% increase in the population of Haitian migrants under Kamala Harris. So Pennsylvania, remember this when you go to vote. This is a small town and all of a sudden they got thousands of people.

“The schools are scrambling to hire translators for the influx of students who don’t speak not a word of English, costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

Charleroi councilman Larry Celaschi said as a representative of the Washington County Republican Party and a member of the Trump campaign, he did an interview with America 2100 ahead of Trump’s speech.

During that interview, which took place Wednesday, he said he talked about a handful of topics, including the potential closure of the Anchor Hocking plant and an influx of automobile accidents in the borough.

Celaschi said he was unaware the phone interview was being recorded, and then all of the sudden headlines started to pop up.

Some of the videos shared on Facebook and X from Celaschi’s interview went viral, but he said he never intended for immigration to be the story.

“I care about the plant,” he said. “That’s what our focus should be on right now.”

He does feel, however, that Trump’s stance on immigration happens to “hit home” for Charleroi residents.

“I am a Trump supporter and part of his campaign,” Celaschi said. “He has been bringing the border crisis to everyone’s attention for quite a long time. It’s a hot topic and it will continue to be a hot topic long after Nov. 5. It was a huge part of the debate and it happens to hit home here for us in Charleroi, Pa.”

Area residents who live, work or pass through the borough know the issues all too well.

Charleroi has a rich history and for many people, roots run deep. Since refugees began moving to the borough a few years ago, the community has become divided in many ways.

Longtime residents were surprised by their new neighbors. And for immigrants, it was an entirely different world.

Some have been supportive and welcoming, while others are confused and have been frustrated as refugees learn to acclimate to their new home.

The borough has faced adversity as it tries to address concerns from residents regarding driving, traffic accidents and other issues.

The school district has been tasked with educating new students, leaving teachers to tackle a language barrier and lack of help from the state for funding to help cover costs of educating the students, which is required by law.

Charleroi Area Superintendent Dr. Ed Zelich has called on legislators and the state to step in to help, with little response. Some visited the district in March, and while a grant was secured to cover costs for current teachers to be certified in ESL, there are ongoing struggles.

On Thursday, Zelich reached out to Gov. Josh Shapiro to reference what is being done in Ohio and invited them to the district’s campus to see the struggles first hand.

“It is my responsibility as superintendent to provide a solid foundation and a great educational experience for all children,” he said. “Another responsibility is to ensure a safe learning environment, which includes the acceptance of everyone.”

Social media pages are frequently bogged down with complaints, questions and allegations.

Immigrants within the community

It hasn’t been easy for anyone. Following a sudden rush of national media attention, council President Kristin Hopkins-Calcek and the Mon Valley Alliance, a local economic development organization, each said the newfound spotlight as it was presented is a missed opportunity.

Hopkins-Calcek and the MVA released a joint statement Friday answering Trump’s remarks.

“In response to Donald Trump’s mention of Charleroi, Pa., during his recent address in Tucson, Ariz., the borough of Charleroi and the Mon Valley Alliance express deep concern over the representation of our community’s challenges,” the MVA’s statement read. “We need to address the real issues facing the borough, such as the widespread job losses resulting from corporate closures.

“Charleroi’s recent emergence into the spotlight highlights the urgent challenges we face and helps outline the essential steps needed to address them.

“Charleroi, a borough steeped in a rich history of immigration, has seen its population rise by 2,000 residents for the first time in decades, thanks mainly to the arrival of Haitian immigrants. Fleeing persecution and devastating conditions in their homeland, these new residents came seeking freedom and happiness, much like the town’s early European immigrants. Yet, unlike their predecessors, they’ve faced a markedly less welcoming reception.”

Jamie Colecchi, CEO of the MVA, said the recent closures of major businesses in the borough aren’t something to be taken lightly.

Last week, Anchor Hocking — the current maker of Corelle, Pyrex and CorningWare — announced the impending closure of its Charleroi plant.

CEO Mark Eichhorn informed more than 300 employees at the facility that the plant would close by the end of this year.

“Charleroi has recently suffered major economic blows over the last several weeks,” the MVA statement said. “Anchor Hocking, an Ohio-based company, purchased the town’s glass factory only to shut it down shortly after, eliminating over 300 jobs. Around the same time, another local employer, Quality Pasta, also closed its doors, resulting in an additional 80 job losses.

“A net loss of 380 jobs in just a few weeks is devastating for an already struggling community. If all stakeholders — current and future elected officials and administrations — are genuinely committed to supporting Charleroi, there are meaningful opportunities to make a difference. Rather than blaming the town’s growing population (many of whom are already contributing to the town’s economy), we should address the greed of companies like Anchor Hocking, which ignored the impact of their actions on local livelihoods, or advocate for stronger protections against monopolies. Instead of providing constructive solutions, we are witnessing groups exploit Charleroi’s challenges for political gain.”

The statement says Haitian immigrants are the least of the borough’s problems.

“Charleroi’s legacy as a hub for glass-making is at risk, and the community is in dire need of support — support to revitalize its industries and create new job opportunities, not to address a so-called ‘Haitian problem,’” the statement said. “Welcoming immigrants has long been a part of Charleroi’s story, and that tradition of openness should not be lost amid divisive rhetoric.”

Hopkins-Calcek said the borough needs to focus on its future.

“For Charleroi to move forward, investment and resources are needed to combat the economic challenges it faces,” she said. “Borough officials and other key stakeholders have repeatedly submitted funding requests to both the state and federal governments to address a multitude of community concerns, however, those critical resources have not come to fruition.

“Today is the day to seize the opportunity left behind by the closures and reclaim precious and valuable industrial property that can be primed for immediate redevelopment. Today is a call to our leaders in government to give due attention to a region that has been grossly underserved for decades. The Mon Valley Alliance and Borough of Charleroi invite stakeholders to take a proactive approach to solving the problems that ultimately affect towns such as Charleroi, Pa., and the greater Middle Monongahela Valley.”

“There is now a significant 50-acre+

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riverfront opportunity with prime access to rail and Interstate 70 and PA Turnpike 43. We have an industrious workforce seeking gainful employment in our region. This is a viable, desirable property for investors to build anew in Charleroi,” Colecchi said. “It’s devastating that our community’s legacy as a world-renowned glassmaker is coming to an end, but we can’t give up and stop here. We are looking forward to building a better future together.

“The Mon Valley Alliance welcomes the visibility this platform has provided and, more importantly, the new partnerships and opportunities it can bring to our region.”

Celaschi said the statement could jeopardize talks happening to save the glass plant, and wanted to be clear it does not represent the entire view of council.

“There was no reason for it, they had no business making that statement,” Celaschi said.

Hopkins-Calcek, who met with representatives of the MVA on Friday to write the statement, released a similar but separate statement on her own later in the day.

She wasn’t happy to see the town she calls home and represents be used as a “political pawn.”

“If Trump feels strongly about helping Charleroi, he has ample opportunity to do so,” she stated. “Instead of casting blame on immigrants, he could have spoken against the greed of companies like Anchor Hocking, who disregarded the livelihoods they destroyed, or he could have called for stronger protections against monopolies.

“Instead of offering solutions, he chose to exploit the town’s challenges for political gain.”

Hopkins-Calcek said while not everyone on borough council was present to contribute to the joint statement, she feels she was within her right as an elected official to take a stand.

“There are members of council who support, and others who don’t, but that doesn’t really matter,” she said. “As president, I don’t need an authorization from anyone to release a statement. It’s my statement, I signed it, it’s an opinion. And to be frank, it doesn’t sit well with me that my hometown is being used as a political tool without giving any attention to the true problems we are facing in our community.”

She hopes this exposure causes local, state and federal government officials to take an interest.

“It’s time they pay attention to Charleroi,” she said. “We have needs that need to be addressed.”