Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, are reportedly leaving the town in response to fears of deportation following Donald Trump’s election as president. The small city of 60,000 has seen an influx of 15,000 to 20,000 Haitian migrants over the past four years under federal Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
TPS permits individuals from countries facing crises such as armed conflict or natural disasters to live and work legally in the U.S. However, Trump has promised to revoke this status, citing concerns about the strain on local communities. “Springfield is such a beautiful place. Have you seen what’s happened to it? It’s been overrun,” Trump said in an October interview. He pledged large-scale deportations from the area, asserting, “I’d revoke (the protected status), and I’d bring (the migrants) back to their country.”
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, a Springfield native, has also criticized the impact of the influx, blaming increased rents, crime, and other local challenges on the surge of migrants. In a September social media post, Vance stated, “This is what happens when you drop 20,000 people into a small community. Kamala Harris’s immigration policy aims to do this to every town in our country.”
As news of Trump’s plans spreads, many Haitian migrants are leaving Springfield. Margery Koveleski, who helps migrants with resettlement, confirmed that families are actively seeking assistance to leave town. “People are leaving,” she told The Guardian. “Some folks don’t have credit cards or access to the internet, and they want to buy a bus ticket or a plane ticket, so we help them book a flight,” she continued to explain. Some have relocated to New Jersey, Boston, and Canada, while others have moved to nearby Ohio cities like Dayton, where they believe they can blend in more easily.
Jacob Payen, co-founder of the Haitian Community Alliance, noted that fear of mass deportation is driving this exodus. “People are fully aware of the election result, and that is why they are leaving,” he said.
Despite these departures, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has defended the Haitian community’s contributions to Springfield’s economy. In a recent New York Times op-ed, DeWine explained that Haitian workers have been critical to the area’s economic recovery post-pandemic. “I met with Springfield manufacturing business owners who employ Haitians. Their businesses would not have been able to stay open without them,” he wrote.
DeWine warned that losing these workers could hinder Springfield’s economic progress. “Haitians came here to work. They were hired because they would work. They were hired because there were openings that could not be filled by companies,” he said.
Tom Homan, Trump’s incoming border czar, emphasized that deportation priorities will focus on individuals with criminal records and threats to public safety and national security. He also outlined Trump’s broader immigration strategy, which includes securing the border and addressing issues like the 300,000 missing children placed with unvetted sponsors during the Biden administration.
As Trump prepares to take office, Springfield’s Haitian community faces an uncertain future, with many choosing to leave before enforcement actions escalate.
