Ohio’s Haitian communities are bracing for impact, and so are the people who live alongside them. As the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian immigrants expires on February 3, mounting evidence suggests Immigration and Customs Enforcement is preparing a concentrated enforcement surge in Springfield. It’s a move that has ignited fear, anger, and calls for solidarity across the state.
According to a message obtained by the Springfield News-Sun, Springfield City School District Superintendent Bob Hill warned local officials of a potential 30-day ICE enforcement window following the TPS expiration. The message cited a federal list of individual removal orders already identified in Springfield, with ICE agents retaining discretion to detain additional undocumented individuals they encounter.
While Hill emphasized there was no indication that enforcement would occur on school property, the downstream effects on families are unavoidable. As seen in previous ICE actions nationwide, parents can be detained without warning, leaving students stranded at the end of the school day or thrust into detention alongside relatives.
That prospect has rattled Ohioans far beyond Springfield. On Reddit’s r/Columbus, a thread discussing the looming enforcement has drawn hundreds of responses, many expressing alarm not just at ICE’s tactics, but at the broader political forces that made them possible. One user wrote:
“I’m so worried for our communities. They deserved so much better than this trap.”
Springfield has seen a significant influx of Haitian residents in recent years, a population that local educators say is deeply embedded in the school system. Pam Shay, director of federal programs at Springfield City Schools, estimated that immigrant students make up anywhere from 5 to 40 percent of enrollment in individual buildings. Roughly 20 percent of the district’s 1,400 students were admitted after 2021 and lack citizenship documentation.
One Reddit commenter reacted viscerally to the district’s contingency planning for students unable to return to their guardians. “This is chilling and disgusting,” they wrote, before asking how to get involved to support Springfield families. Others quickly pointed to local Haitian support centers, churches, and nonprofits like St. Vincent de Paul that are already preparing to respond.
Beyond humanitarian concerns, many Ohio residents see the enforcement push as economically self-destructive. Several commenters noted that Springfield had been experiencing a modest economic revival fueled in part by its immigrant population, a growth they argue has evaporated amid years of hostile rhetoric and policy.
“Springfield was in the middle of a massive economic upswing from its immigrant population,” one commenter wrote. “That has all but vanished in the last year and a half because Trump and his rhetoric have pushed them out of the city.”
That rhetoric has been explicit. During the 2024 campaign, Vice President JD Vance amplified racist falsehoods claiming Haitian immigrants in Springfield were eating their neighbors’ pets, which were claims later echoed by Donald Trump during a presidential debate. Trump has since vowed aggressive immigration enforcement in the city. While TPS was originally set to expire in September, a federal judge delayed the deadline to February, effectively setting the stage for the current standoff.
Advocates in Springfield report that some government officials have suggested Haitian immigrants “self-deport” to a third country once TPS expires. Meanwhile, asylum options are narrowing. Reports indicate immigration judges are increasingly dismissing asylum cases, with applicants transferred directly into ICE custody for expedited removal.
On Reddit, the reaction was a mix of despair and defiance. Some users praised the Haitian community as “gems” who make cities stronger and more vibrant, while others expressed cynicism that appeals to shared humanity would sway those backing enforcement.
“We might need to show up there like people in Minneapolis have,” one commenter suggested, referencing community resistance to ICE actions elsewhere.
Others framed the moment more starkly, questioning how legal protections can be stripped so quickly. “So they’re having trouble finding enough brown 5-year-olds to lock up,” one post read, “so they’re just changing the rules and forcing people into being ‘illegal’?”
Ohio officials have offered mixed signals. Governor Mike DeWine’s office said there has been no “formal communication” confirming ICE’s plans, despite reports that a meeting of state leaders and emergency management officials sparked Hill’s warning. For residents watching events unfold, the ambiguity offers little comfort.
As February 3 approaches, fear is spreading faster than facts, but, seemingly, so is resolve. Across Ohio, ordinary citizens are grappling with what it means to live in a state where neighbors can vanish overnight, classrooms can empty without explanation, and communities built over years can be undone in weeks.
