Springfield Faith Groups Prepare for End of Haitian TPS

Community leaders in Springfield, Ohio, have spent months getting ready to support the city's 15,000 Haitian residents facing deportation.

Published on Feb. 3, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Faith groups and individuals in Springfield, Ohio, have been preparing for months to help the 15,000 Haitians who live in the community as they face deportation when Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is terminated. The church and community members have stocked up on supplies like air mattresses and food, and have trained rapid response teams to assist Haitian families facing encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Despite a last-minute legal reprieve, the community remains on high alert and is calling for compassion and justice for the Haitian immigrants.

Why it matters

The planned termination of TPS for Haitians has sparked a major community response in Springfield, Ohio, which is home to a large Haitian immigrant population. The city's faith leaders and residents are determined to support and protect their Haitian neighbors, highlighting the human impact of federal immigration policies and the role that local communities can play in responding to such challenges.

The details

Inside Central Christian Church, there are two dozen air mattresses, a washer, a new refrigerator, and other supplies ready to provide refuge for Haitian migrants if a large-scale immigration crackdown comes to Springfield. The church and its members, along with dozens of other community members, have been preparing for months for the planned termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) that has allowed an estimated 15,000 Haitian immigrants in the city to work and live without threat of deportation. While a federal judge issued a last-minute reprieve on February 2nd, blocking the Trump Administration's action to end TPS, the community remains on high alert and is calling for compassion and justice for the Haitian immigrants.

  • President Donald Trump has sought to end TPS for Haitians and other groups since taking office for his second term.
  • A federal judge issued a last-minute reprieve on February 2nd, blocking the president's action to end TPS for Haitians.
  • Trump rolled back a policy that kept ICE from entering churches and other "sensitive locations" to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants just days after taking office in January 2025.

The players

Tim Voltz

With Champion City Church in Springfield.

Rev. Carl Ruby

Senior pastor at Central Christian Church in Springfield.

Travis Ricketts

Ohio state manager for the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank.

Geoff Pipoly

Lead attorney on the lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security challenging the end of TPS for Haitians.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's an opportunity to decide what kind of city we want to be.”

— Tim Voltz (The Dispatch)

“Temporary Protective Status (TPS) was designed as a short-term protection during acute crises and has since evolved into semi-permanent status for hundreds of thousands of people as a backdoor to permanent residency.”

— Travis Ricketts, Ohio state manager, America First Policy Institute (The Dispatch)

“Dangerous doesn't even begin to describe (conditions in Haiti). I can't think of a better example of what the TPS statute was designed for.”

— Geoff Pipoly, Lead attorney (The Dispatch)

“This is a great place to live and Haitians have made it even better. I don't believe the American people want this.”

— Rev. Carl Ruby, Senior pastor, Central Christian Church (The Dispatch)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the Trump Administration's action to end TPS for Haitians to move forward.

The takeaway

The community response in Springfield, Ohio, highlights the human impact of federal immigration policies and the important role that local communities can play in supporting and protecting vulnerable immigrant populations, even in the face of challenging national decisions.