SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Hundreds of faith leaders and congregants gathered at a Springfield church urging legal protection for Haitian migrants as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti nears expiration. Organizers said the event was meant to counter fear fueled by immigration enforcement and false claims made during the 2024 campaign.
TPS has allowed Haitians fleeing gang violence and instability to live and work legally in the U.S. The Trump administration has moved to terminate the designation for roughly 500,000 Haitians, arguing conditions in Haiti have improved. Advocates and local leaders strongly dispute that assessment.
Community members said anxiety intensified after President Donald Trump falsely accused Haitians in Springfield of eating neighbors’ cats and dogs while campaigning — a claim unsupported by evidence that stoked anti-immigrant sentiment in the mostly white, working-class city. Faith leaders emphasized the rhetoric worsened fear, leading some families to avoid work, school, and even church.
A federal judge is expected to rule soon on a request to pause the TPS termination while lawsuits proceed. Religious leaders said ending TPS would devastate families, many with U.S.-citizen children, and called for compassion and legal relief.
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