Ohio Democrat caught in leaked audio saying entire border should be opened: 'I don't give a s**t who comes in'

An Ohio Democratic campaign staffer was caught calling fellow residents racist for their stance on immigration and saying the entire border should be open.

In a leaked recording, Kevin Oyakawa, an operative working for Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Emilia Sykes, was heard discussing what has prevented Sykes from discussing her position on immigration.

'Open the f****** border, I don't give a s*** who the f**** comes in here,' Oyakawa said in the recording, as reported by Ohio.news.

'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.'

He adds that if Sykes 'has to start talking about immigration, she starts losing.' 

Oyakawa is a regional organizing director for the Ohio Democratic Party, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Sykes' campaign responded to the outburst in a statement to Fox News: 'Congresswoman Emilia Sykes has worked to deliver increased funding to help secure our border and stop the flow of illegal drugs like fentanyl,' it reads. 

'She also cosponsored the bipartisan Dignity Act that would address border security and infrastructure, all while her opponent Kevin Coughlin uses the border to play politics.'

Coughlin told Fox News: 'Ohioans are already aware of Emilia Sykes' dangerous open border policies, and now we see what she and her team support behind closed doors.'

He also told the outlet that she calls anyone who disagrees with her 'racist.'  

Brown's campaign spokesperson, Matt Keyes, echoed Sykes' sentiments about securing the border. He told Fox News that Brown supports a bipartisan border security bill. 

Keyes said Brown has 'worked with both parties to secure our southern border and keep Ohioans safe from fentanyl by cracking down on the chemical suppliers in China and drug cartels in Mexico.'

The spokesperson also claimed that Brown's Republican opponent, Bernie Moreno, is resisting border efforts because 'he isn't looking out for Ohioans.'

Reagan McCarthy, Moreno's communications director, told Fox News: 'Ohio Democrats would rather keep the border open and continue to allow millions of illegals to enter our nation rather than secure the border and protect our communities.' 

According to the Ohio Capital Journal, Moreno said immigration is acceptable as long as it is 'on our terms.' 

Ohio towns have been faced with an influx of thousands migrants. 

Close to Cincinnati, Lockland was home to 3,500 people in 2023, but local officials say it has since taken in more than 3,000 legal Mauritanian asylum seekers. 

Springfield's booming Haitian population has sparked unfounded rumors and anti-Haitian immigrant hate.

Inflammatory and unproven accusations arose, claiming that some new immigrants were eating household pets.

Haitian Community and Support Center administrator Rose-Themar Joseph told DailyMail.com: 'We don't know the exact number of Haitians now in Springfield. 

'But they come here because there are jobs and it is a much more affordable part of the country that Florida or New York.' 

In 2017, Oyakawa, 20 at the time, tried his hand in local politics in Illinois. He announced his plans to run for the DuPage County Board in District 5 as a Democrat.

At the time, he was pursuing political science and economics degrees at North Central College, according to his campaign website.

According to his LinkedIn, he also served as the president of North Central's College Democrats organization for a year. 

His name did not appear on the March 2018 ballot because of an error on his petition forms, Ncclinked.com reported. 

Oyakawa told the outlet in February 2018: 'I had to make up for my inexperience through my energy, and I put all that energy into building up the campaign and building momentum.

'Just to have it taken away on a technicality was really saddening.'

He added 'it won’t be too difficult to build myself back up again.'