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The Herald Scotland
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Haitians fear leaving US as Trump ends TPS
Instead, Haitians living in central Ohio are scrambling to find a safe third country like Canada or Mexico to go to, said Jean Manuel, a Haitian American businessman and advocate who helps some of the approximately 30,000 Haitians living in Columbus. But that can be difficult, too. To legally immigrate to Canada, they must have family members living there to receive them, said Viles Dorsainvil, executive director of the Haitian Community Help and Support Center, in Springfield, home to 15,000 to 20,000 Haitian immigrants. Haitians with TPS, which protects immigrants from certain countries from deportation and allows them to work legally in the United States, will lose that protection as of Sept. 2, according to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. In February, Noem ended a Biden-era extension of TPS for Haitians that was to expire in February 2026, and, on June 27, she announced the status will officially end on August 3. That means protections will end in September. As of July 2024, more than 520,000 Haitians were eligible for TPS, according to Homeland Security. Homeland Security said it has reviewed conditions in Haiti and determined it doesn't meet the requirements for TPS designation. TPS is designated for countries involved in ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, epidemics or other extraordinary and temporary conditions, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A DPS spokesperson said the decision to end TPS for Haitians is meant to ensure the immigration status remains temporary. The TPS system has been "exploited and abused" for decades, according to a February release from the Department of Homeland Security on ending the Biden administration's extension of TPS. But Haiti remains unstable, Columbus' Manuel said, disputing the government's claim that conditions have improved there. "Every neighborhood has a gang, every neighborhood is controlled by a gang member. They're vicious: burning buildings, killing kids, cleaning out neighborhoods," he said. "That's the kind of life they're going to (if they return to Haiti). They're going to a death sentence." Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, recently agreed. "Haiti is not safe ... It's one of the most dangerous places in the world," DeWine told the Statehouse News Bureau. "It's a horribly, horribly violent place today, and things have not gotten better. They've actually gotten worse. Those are just the facts." Ohio is home to thousands of Haitian immigrants Springfield's Haitian population gained national attention during the 2024 presidential election when, in a vice presidential debate, Vice President J.D. Vance spread the false rumor that Haitian immigrants there were eating their neighbors' pets. Community leaders have said most of the thousands of Haitian immigrants in the city are here with legal status -- likely TPS -- and have moved to the city of about 60,000 in recent years. Following the rumor, repeated by others including Trump, Springfield schools, businesses and public buildings faced bomb threats and evacuations. Springfield, Ohio: Trump pledges to deport Haitians in Ohio city, but most are in US legally DeWine also defended Haitians after Vance's comments. "They came to Springfield to work," the governor said at the time. "Ohio is on the move and Springfield has really made a great resurgence with a lot of companies coming in." On June 28, DeWine reportedly said Haitians are critical to the Springfield workforce. "We talked to the management of those companies, and they basically said, look, if we didn't have these Haitians, we couldn't fill these slots, and we can't produce what we need to produce," he told Statehouse News. Manuel agreed, saying that Ohio's Haitians typically work in hotels, factories and supermarkets. "They are the people that do the hard work." Since the February announcement that TPS wouldn't remain in place for Haitians for long, employers have laid off Haitian employees, Manuel and Dorsainvil said, knowing they won't be around long. So, in addition to intense fear for their futures, some Haitians with TPS don't have money to feed their families and pay rent, Manuel said. "The people here, they're here to work and to better their life," Manuel said. They aren't criminals and just seek peaceful places to raise their families and live, he and Dorsainvil said. Why Haitians have TPS A 2010 earthquake - which killed more than 220,000 Haitian people and destroyed much of the nation's infrastructure - prompted the federal government to qualify Haitians for TPS. Since then, the country has experienced "cascading crises," according to the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for migrant rights. The Biden administration renewed and extended TPS for Haitians in July 2024, saying gang activity was causing economic, security, political and health crises. Those conditions have not changed, Guerline Jozef, executive director of Haitian Bridge Alliance said in a statement. The nation is also plagued by hunger, homelessness and a lack of employment for residents, according to advocates and the United Nations. Haiti has not had a president since the former one was assassinated in 2021. The country's prime minister resigned in 2024. The decision to end TPS "is not just cruel - it's state-sanctioned endangerment," Jozef said. "Sending back hundreds of thousands of people to a country overrun by gangs, where hospitals are shuttered and food is scarce, is a direct assault on Black immigrant communities," she continued. "It's not about policy. It's about dehumanization." Underserved Communities Reporter Danae King can be reached at dking@ or on X at @DanaeKing.
USA Today
07-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
As Trump ends TPS, Haitians say returning home would be a 'death sentence'
The Trump administration says conditions in Haiti have improved enough that it is safe for migrants to return to the Caribbean nation. Haitians, Ohio governor disagree. Thousands of Haitian immigrants living in Ohio on Temporary Protected Status are making plans to leave the country after the Trump administration announced the end of the deportation protection. But they aren't going back to their home country. The Trump administration says conditions in Haiti have improved enough that it is safe for those living in America with the special temporary status to return to the Caribbean nation. But going back to Haiti is a "death sentence," say community leaders and advocates. Instead, Haitians living in central Ohio are scrambling to find a safe third country like Canada or Mexico to go to, said Jean Manuel, a Haitian American businessman and advocate who helps some of the approximately 30,000 Haitians living in Columbus. But that can be difficult, too. To legally immigrate to Canada, they must have family members living there to receive them, said Vilés Dorsainvil, executive director of the Haitian Community Help and Support Center, in Springfield, home to 15,000 to 20,000 Haitian immigrants. Haitians with TPS, which protects immigrants from certain countries from deportation and allows them to work legally in the United States, will lose that protection as of Sept. 2, according to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. In February, Noem ended a Biden-era extension of TPS for Haitians that was to expire in February 2026, and, on June 27, she announced the status will officially end on August 3. That means protections will end in September. As of July 2024, more than 520,000 Haitians were eligible for TPS, according to Homeland Security. Homeland Security said it has reviewed conditions in Haiti and determined it doesn't meet the requirements for TPS designation. TPS is designated for countries involved in ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, epidemics or other extraordinary and temporary conditions, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A DPS spokesperson said the decision to end TPS for Haitians is meant to ensure the immigration status remains temporary. The TPS system has been "exploited and abused" for decades, according to a February release from the Department of Homeland Security on ending the Biden administration's extension of TPS. But Haiti remains unstable, Columbus' Manuel said, disputing the government's claim that conditions have improved there. "Every neighborhood has a gang, every neighborhood is controlled by a gang member. They're vicious: burning buildings, killing kids, cleaning out neighborhoods," he said. "That's the kind of life they're going to (if they return to Haiti). They're going to a death sentence." Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, recently agreed. "Haiti is not safe … It's one of the most dangerous places in the world,' DeWine told the Statehouse News Bureau. 'It's a horribly, horribly violent place today, and things have not gotten better. They've actually gotten worse. Those are just the facts.' Ohio is home to thousands of Haitian immigrants Springfield's Haitian population gained national attention during the 2024 presidential election when, in a vice presidential debate, Vice President J.D. Vance spread the false rumor that Haitian immigrants there were eating their neighbors' pets. Community leaders have said most of the thousands of Haitian immigrants in the city are here with legal status — likely TPS — and have moved to the city of about 60,000 in recent years. Following the rumor, repeated by others including Trump, Springfield schools, businesses and public buildings faced bomb threats and evacuations. Springfield, Ohio: Trump pledges to deport Haitians in Ohio city, but most are in US legally DeWine also defended Haitians after Vance's comments. "They came to Springfield to work," the governor said at the time. "Ohio is on the move and Springfield has really made a great resurgence with a lot of companies coming in." On June 28, DeWine reportedly said Haitians are critical to the Springfield workforce. 'We talked to the management of those companies, and they basically said, look, if we didn't have these Haitians, we couldn't fill these slots, and we can't produce what we need to produce,' he told Statehouse News. Manuel agreed, saying that Ohio's Haitians typically work in hotels, factories and supermarkets. "They are the people that do the hard work." Since the February announcement that TPS wouldn't remain in place for Haitians for long, employers have laid off Haitian employees, Manuel and Dorsainvil said, knowing they won't be around long. So, in addition to intense fear for their futures, some Haitians with TPS don't have money to feed their families and pay rent, Manuel said. "The people here, they're here to work and to better their life," Manuel said. They aren't criminals and just seek peaceful places to raise their families and live, he and Dorsainvil said. Why Haitians have TPS A 2010 earthquake ‒ which killed more than 220,000 Haitian people and destroyed much of the nation's infrastructure ‒ prompted the federal government to qualify Haitians for TPS. Since then, the country has experienced "cascading crises," according to the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for migrant rights. The Biden administration renewed and extended TPS for Haitians in July 2024, saying gang activity was causing economic, security, political and health crises. Those conditions have not changed, Guerline Jozef, executive director of Haitian Bridge Alliance said in a statement. The nation is also plagued by hunger, homelessness and a lack of employment for residents, according to advocates and the United Nations. Haiti has not had a president since the former one was assassinated in 2021. The country's prime minister resigned in 2024. The decision to end TPS 'is not just cruel ‒ it's state-sanctioned endangerment,' Jozef said. 'Sending back hundreds of thousands of people to a country overrun by gangs, where hospitals are shuttered and food is scarce, is a direct assault on Black immigrant communities," she continued. "It's not about policy. It's about dehumanization.' Underserved Communities Reporter Danae King can be reached at dking@ or on X at @DanaeKing.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Local Haitian community center to host legal aid for those facing deportation
A help center is working to guide Haitian migrants facing uncertain futures. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] This comes as around 15,000 Haitians who live and work in Springfield must leave by Aug. 3. 'What I don't understand is the lack of empathy or sympathy towards the folks from Haiti or towards the immigrant community in general,' Viles Dorsainvil, executive director of Haitian Community Help and Support Center, said. Dorsainvil said he wants to guide the Springfield migrant community through this time, where their legal protections are coming to an end in the United States. TRENDING STORIES: Deputies: Wood thrown at officers in high-speed chase; ends in wrong-way crash on I-75 Injuries reported after car slams into Miami County home Child, adult dead after being pulled from SUV that went into pond 'We've been receiving some phone calls, so many phone calls, and we have decided to have a legal clinic tomorrow, Saturday, where some of them will have time to come and ask questions to an immigration attorney,' Dorsainvil said. He said migrants are worried about their livelihood in Springfield. Gov. Mike DeWine and Springfield city leaders said fewer Haitians can impact the city's economy. 'Their presence here in the community helps the workforce to keep moving forward. So I think there will be an economic impact on the community if it happens that they are in removal proceedings or they are deporting them,' Dorsainvil said. Along with fewer legal protections, Haitian nationals are now banned from entering the U.S. 'They put Haiti on that list because of the insecurity, and even the US embassy cannot operate properly in Haiti,' Dorsainvil said. The center is inviting anyone with questions to their legal aid event on Saturday. There will be more events like that leading up to Aug. 3. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Are Haitians fleeing Springfield? What our reporting found
Apr. 18—There are indications that a large number of Springfield's Haitian immigrant population has relocated elsewhere. But after months of harsh scrutiny and facing the threat of deportation from a presidential administration intent on revoking their legal right to stay in the country, the majority appear to be staying put, a Springfield News-Sun investigation found. For now, they have jobs. Their kids are in school. They have access to health care and other services. They have put down roots. "They don't have any reason to leave now because they don't have any other place to go in the USA where they will not be facing the same issue," said Vilès Dorsainvil, president of the Haitian Community Help and Support Center. Springfield and Clark County leaders have long estimated that the region is home to 12,000 to 15,000 Haitian immigrants. The News-Sun used available data points to find: —The number of Haitian-speaking Clark County residents on public assistance has dropped by thousands of people since last summer. Medicaid enrollment for Haitian-speaking applicants is down by more than a third, food stamps by 63% and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families usage by more than half from July 2024 through March 2025. —Clark County Combined Health District leaders have seen a reduction in demand for service, but estimate the number of local Haitians still above 10,000. —Springfield City Schools officials say overall district enrollment has remained around 7,400 this school year. Data provided by the district shows it has 1,258 students classified as English language learners this month, down about 6.6% from a high of 1,347 in February — but up from 1,193 in October 2024. —Springfield's federally-qualified health center, Rocking Horse, saw a small dip in its Haitian-Creole speaking patients in the last two weeks of January. But since then, attendance has stabilized, agency leaders say. —Employers interviewed by the News-Sun say Haitian workers are not leaving their jobs. The future for this vulnerable population is uncertain. Many have work permits and remain in the country legally under programs President Donald Trump tried to end as early as April 24. Some of those efforts are slowed by court action, but Springfield's Haitian immigrants remain possibly months from being ripped of their legal status. It's unclear what will happen then. An ICE spokesperson did not return a request for comment about deportation procedures. The Trump administration wants them to return to Haiti. But Haiti has had severe poverty and political instability for years, intensified by a series of natural disasters. In 2021, Haiti's president was assassinated. In 2023, the U.S. ordered all non-essential personnel to leave the country. In March 2024, a state of emergency was declared as violent gangs had taken over much of the country. Last fall, the largest airport was closed because gang members were firing at planes. The U.S. State Department has had a "Do Not Travel" advisory on Haiti for more than six months, citing "kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and limited health care." The most recent update last week said gunfire was reported near the U.S. Embassy. So for now, thousands stay in Springfield. Public assistance programs Clark County Job and Family Services has reported a steady decrease in Haitian Creole-speaking residents seeking public assistance since an all-time high in July 2024, with nearly every category of assistance available to immigrants declining since last summer. "It could mean they're either leaving or no longer needing public assistance," said Clark County JFS director Ginny Martycz. "But we have noticed a difference." County JFS departments administer Medicaid programs and other forms of public assistance, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. When someone applying for public assistance moves counties within Ohio, they appear in the caseloads of their new county JFS department. Clark County caseloads for Haitian-speaking applicants Month Medicaid Presumptive Eligibility — Medicaid Refugee Cash Assistance SNAP SNAP Employment and Training TANF TANF Work Activities Jul-24 7,961 84 1,896 4,363 427 1,475 146 Aug-24 7,190 20 1,803 3,536 381 1,353 135 Sep-24 6,992 14 1,737 3,280 388 1,250 152 Oct-24 6,624 17 1,582 2,794 349 1,140 156 Nov-24 6,003 19 1,478 2,438 279 1,110 191 Dec-24 6,340 21 1,326 2,265 85 1,081 145 Jan-25 5,965 15 1,095 1,941 46 1,031 149 Feb-25 5,459 12 848 1,673 32 897 162 Mar-25 5,260 20 720 1,597 25 711 179 Source: Clark County Department of Job and Family Services ------ Last summer, Clark County JFS had 4,363 Haitian Creole-speaking applicants in their caseload for the SNAP Program. At the end of March this year, the caseload for Haitian Creole-speaking applicants had shrunk by 63%. The county's Medicaid caseload saw a similar drop, with 5,260 cases linked to Creole-speaking applicants at the end of March, compared to 7,961 Medicaid applicants in July 2024. This is a 33% drop in the county's caseload. Some immigrants are also eligible for the Refugee Cash Assistance program. In Clark County, Haitian residents make up the vast majority of assistance distributed through this program. This program is for immigrants without children, and assistance is limited to 12 months after arrival in the U.S. In July 2024, a total of 1,896 applicants were in Clark County's caseload for this program, but at the end of March, only 720 cases were linked to Clark County. Health district For the Clark County Combined Health District, home visitors in Early Childhood programs like Help Me Grow have reported that numerous families are leaving or preparing for their departure, according to Clark County Health Commissioner Chris Cook. "We are seeing a decrease in demand for our services at the health department, ranging from immunizations to refugee health screenings," Cook said. "This doesn't necessarily mean that people have left, but rather that they are laying low or are getting their care elsewhere." Cook previously estimated that 12,000 Haitians reside in Clark County; he believes that number has since decreased, but it likely hasn't dipped below 10,000 residents. Rocking Horse According to Rocking Horse data, in 2024 the community health center served 15,600 patients. Roughly 3,600 of these were patients best served in a language other than English. In the last quarter of 2024, the health center saw 208 new patients who speak Haitian-Creole. In the first quarter of 2025, the health center only saw 150 new patients. But new patient numbers were down in total in the first quarter this year. "Rocking Horse still considers itself as the safety net provider and encourages people to continue engaging in their healthcare," Rocking Horse CEO Dr. Yamimi Teegala said. "Our concern was never about losing patients. Our concern was more, 'I don't want anyone to go under the radar and just skip this visit.' But people are engaging with essential services." Rocking Horse Chief Operating Officer Stacy Lee said that among adult patients, the health center sees about 10 new patients per week on average. "We still continue to see a fairly large number. But we continue to monitor this," she said. Lee has been coordinating training for Rocking Horse staff over the past few months. The training walked employees through patient privacy and procedures around immigration enforcement. She said several patients have called in concerns about receiving care under their current immigration statuses. "We're trying to continue to be the place for everyone and give quality care to everyone," Lee said. English language classes Clark State College is one of 47 providers for Ohio's Aspire program, which among other things provides English language courses for Haitian residents. Timothy Armstrong, state director of the program that runs through the Ohio Department of Education, said Haitian learners from Clark County reported "apprehension" with on-site English classes last fall and again in January. Aspire providers pivoted to other formats, such as synchronous learning where learners could tune into online classes from home. But many of those students have since returned to the classroom. Non-native speakers, many of whom are Haitian residents, make up more than 90% of students in Clark State College's Aspire program. Similarly, at Springfield City Schools, 65% of the students in Aspire courses are non-native speakers, according to Armstrong.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Haitian employees still coming to work
Apr. 18—Despite efforts by the Trump administration to revoke the legal status — and therefore, work permits — of many Springfield-area Haitian immigrants, local employers say they continue to reliably come to work. By and large, Haitian workers in the Springfield-area manufacturing industry do not appear to be leaving their jobs in Clark County and surrounding areas, said Bud Downing, co-owner of employment agency Express Employment Professionals. Downing is also involved in immigrant business and employment efforts as part of the Haitian Coalition. Vilès Dorsainvil, president of the Haitian Community Help and Support Center, said employers have come to him with concerns related to employing a workforce at risk of deportation. "For the (Haitian immigrants), they would normally be willing to continue to work, but the employers sometimes don't see any future to continue to invest on some folks, or working with having some employees that are at a risk of deportation," Dorsainvil said. Haitian immigrants make up an estimated 10% of the workforce at McGregor Metal's three plants, human resources manager of the Leffel Lane location Summer Garrett said Tuesday. She described them as a "dedicated workforce," with many having been employed for several years. The plants are not experiencing a large loss of workers, Garrett said. She estimated the Leffel Lane Campus has about 145 employees, Yellow Springs Street has about 72 and there are about 65 at the Innisfallen Avenue location. With the work environment being more family-oriented, Garrett said she speaks with individual employees often and hears concerns from Haitian employees related to immigration changes and uncertainty. When Haitian immigrants apply, they must provide their Social Security number and work authorization document, which includes information about the person's status, said HR generalist at the Yellow Springs Street location Emily Bolton. This gives businesses an idea of how many their employees may be impacted by immigration changes. KTH Parts Industries in St. Paris is planning for Trump administration immigration orders and the impacts on its workforce, Belford said. The company is not currently seeing workers leave. "It's all a what if, because if it doesn't come into fruition, you have to have that idea or plan to make up for it," Belford said. The auto parts manufacturer employs several Haitian immigrants, many as part of their temporary program but others are permanent, Jennifer Belford, senior recruiter, said. Dole Fresh Vegetables employs several Haitian immigrants locally, but declined to share specific information. A representative said the company does "not expect negative impacts on our ability to deliver product from Springfield."
