Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are facing increased immigration enforcement from immigration officials following the end of Temporary Protected Status, with some people being required to surrender their passports and wear ankle monitors.
The developments come after the Trump administration ended TPS for roughly 350,000 Haitians in the U.S. last month. In June, the Supreme Court cleared the way for the administration to terminate the protections, which had allowed eligible Haitians to live and work legally in the country.
The government has not publicly explained why former Haitian TPS holders are being placed on ankle monitors or why some have had their passports taken, according to WLRN.
The Dayton Daily News and Springfield News-Sun reported that Haitian immigrants in the Springfield area have been summoned to appointments with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, where some have had their passports taken and been fitted with ankle monitors.
DHS has defended the increased enforcement effort by pointing to the end of TPS, saying the program was never intended to provide permanent legal status. WLRN reported that an ICE officer in Ohio told an immigration attorney that the agency’s headquarters specifically instructed officials to place ankle monitors on Haitian immigrants attending the check-ins.
The monitoring has affected people with varying immigration circumstances. ABC News reported that some Haitians summoned for the appointments have pending asylum claims, even though they previously held TPS. Some have also been given future court dates.
Viles Dorsainvil, executive director of a Haitian support organization in Springfield, told ABC News that his group has been helping Haitians attend the appointments. He said people are interviewed by immigration officials before some are fitted with ankle monitors.
The new enforcement measures have also prompted support from faith leaders. The 19th recently reported that Sisters Anita Marie and Maria Francine of the Sisters of Notre Dame have been standing outside an ICE facility in Blue Ash, Ohio, where Haitians have been summoned for appointments.
The developments have added to uncertainty in Springfield's Haitian community, which drew national attention in 2024 after JD Vance, then a U.S. senator and Republican vice presidential nominee, amplified false claims about Haitian immigrants eating pets spread widely online.
The end of TPS became effective July 27, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, after a federal judge lifted a block on the administration's termination, following the Supreme Court’s June ruling allowing the protections to end.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.