Springfield Braces for Potential ICE Crackdown on Haitian Community

Faith-based groups and local leaders prepare for possible family separations and deportations as Temporary Protected Status ends for Haitians.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 8:23am

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As the Trump administration's decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians approaches on February 3, the city of Springfield, Ohio is ramping up efforts to protect its large Haitian immigrant community. Local faith-based coalitions and community groups have been working to set up emergency housing, food distribution, and legal support networks in anticipation of potential ICE enforcement actions that could lead to family separations and deportations. Residents are fearful and preparing for what they describe as a potential 'siege' by federal immigration agents.

Why it matters

Springfield's Haitian community makes up a significant portion of the city's population, with estimates of up to 15,000 immigrants, many of whom are at risk of deportation when TPS ends. The preparations underway highlight the deep anxiety and uncertainty within immigrant communities as they brace for the potential fallout from the end of the TPS program, which has allowed Haitians to legally live and work in the U.S. due to the ongoing instability and violence in their home country.

The details

Local faith-based groups and coalitions like G92 have been working to set up a network of 28 churches and 114 volunteers to provide emergency housing and care for children who may be separated from their parents if ICE agents conduct enforcement actions. They are also working to get legal guardianship and kinship care arrangements in place, and have been urging Haitian parents to get U.S. passports for their American-born children in case they need to self-deport. The groups have also held rapid-response trainings to educate community members on their rights and prepare them for potential confrontations with ICE agents, including role-playing scenarios of agents entering churches.

  • The Trump administration's decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians is set to take effect on February 3, 2026.
  • In recent days, there have been conflicting reports about when ICE enforcement actions may begin, with some saying January 28 and others saying February 3 for a 30-day period.

The players

Marjory Wentworth

A poet and member of the faith-based coalition G92, which formed last year to support Springfield's Haitian community.

Pastor Carl Ruby

The pastor of a congregation in Springfield that has been vocal in its support for Haitians.

Amy Willmann

The point person at the Nehemiah Foundation, a local group that has coordinated a network of 28 churches and 114 volunteers to provide emergency care and short-term housing for children separated from their parents.

Jill Potter-Bonsell

A social worker and member of the G92 coalition.

Jen Casto

A community activist and member of the G92 coalition.

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What they’re saying

“The fear is turned up as high as it can go in the community.”

— Marjory Wentworth, Poet and G92 member

“It has felt for a long time like we're facing a train coming down the tracks toward us.”

— Pastor Carl Ruby, Pastor

“We want you to know they have a safe place to be until they're reunified with you. We know that some of [the parents] will self deport and take their children with them, some of them will take their children with them into detention. But we also know that some are already choosing to leave their children here because they don't want to take them to a detention center or to Haiti.”

— Amy Willmann, Nehemiah Foundation

“The demographic of these people is changing, more and more everyday people that wouldn't normally be involved in this type of stuff are concerned and feel morally obligated to do something.”

— Jill Potter-Bonsell, Social worker and G92 member

“It takes me back to that, in a way, but at a different level. But now, I don't think we're so much worried about hate groups coming here like we had in the past … I think a lot of what the feeling is right now is a fear that ICE or other federal entities are going to come in here and just destroy our community.”

— Jen Casto, Community activist and G92 member

What’s next

The judge in the cases challenging the Trump administration's decision to end TPS for Haitians is expected to rule before the February 3 deadline. However, the administration may still appeal the ruling or ignore it, leaving the Springfield community bracing for potential ICE enforcement actions.

The takeaway

The preparations underway in Springfield highlight the deep anxiety and uncertainty within immigrant communities as they face the potential fallout from the end of the TPS program. The city's faith-based groups and community leaders are working tirelessly to protect their Haitian neighbors, demonstrating the power of grassroots organizing and the importance of community solidarity in the face of federal immigration crackdowns.