The Ohio cities of Columbus and Springfield are bracing for impact after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that President Donald Trump can end legal status for Haitians who’ve fled the violence in their home country.
About 330,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians are living in the United States with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a program that allows people from specific countries in conflict or facing natural disasters the chance to live and work in the United States for a set period of time.
About 30,000 Haitians with temporary status live in central Ohio and an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Haitians call Springfield home, with a mixture of temporary protected status, citizenship, and other legal status.
“Today’s decision is painful,” said Carl Ruby, pastor of Springfield’s Central Christian Church, in a statement.
“But our calling has not changed. Scripture teaches us to stand with the vulnerable, tell the truth about our neighbors, and refuse to let fear have the final word. Haitian families belong in our community, and we will continue to stand beside them with courage, compassion, and conviction.”
Springfield experienced a shrinking population for decades as manufacturing jobs disappeared, but Haitian immigrants have grown Clark County’s workforce by more than 10,000 workers.
Springfield became a flashpoint in the 2024 Election when Trump and JD Vance spread racist lies about Haitian immigrants there.
Haitians were initially granted temporary protected status after Haiti’s earthquake in 2010 killed 222,570 people.
The Biden administration extended Temporary Protected Status to Haitians in 2021 after the assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moïse.
Syria was first granted TPS in 2012 and the country continues to experience ongoing armed conflict, terrorist violence, kidnapping, hostage taking, and crime.
Haiti is currently plagued by gang violence and instability, with many fleeing the small Caribbean nation to the United States for their lives. A top security official and chief of staff to the nation’s defense minister was recently kidnapped.
Many of the Haitian refugees in America have no homes to return to in Haiti.
The U.S. Department of State currently has a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Haiti and Syria.
Deporting Haitians in Springfield would eliminate roughly $300 million in annual spending from Clark County, with an estimated economic loss projected to exceed $400 million.
Ohio Immigrant Alliance’s Executive Director Lynn Tramonte is calling on Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno and Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted to do something.
“You cannot let Haitian-Ohioans be deported to a country where they will be killed,” she said in a statement.
“They are our family members, co-workers, friends, and neighbors. They are our people now. You cannot sit back and let this happen. You have power.”
At the federal level, the U.S. House voted in April to extend TPS for Haitians through 2029. The bill is now in the U.S. Senate, but the White House said President Donald Trump would veto the bill.
TPS for Haitians was set to expire Feb. 3, but U.S. District Court Judge Ana C. Reyes blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end temporary protected status for Haitians living in the United States.
The Trump administration quickly appealed the decision and lower courts blocked its efforts to end Haiti’s TPS.
This story will be updated.
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This story is republished from the Ohio Capital Journal under a Creative Commons license. View the original article.
