SPRINGFIELD — The deadline for some Haitian immigrants to leave Springfield is approaching.
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The immigrants who came to the country legally, under temporary refugee status, could be subject to deportation and immigration enforcement next month.
As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, the events in Minneapolis and Portland have raised major concerns as a Feb. 3 deadline is quickly approaching for migrants with this status.
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Now, the community is worried about violent confrontations involving ICE agents and protestors.
“We’re going to have this march, this protest, but let’s be peaceful when they come and don’t feed into the rhetoric,” Denise Williams said.
Williams is the President of the Springfield-Clark County NAACP.
She’s working with pastors, Haitian immigrants, and city residents to avoid riots, while making sure their voice is heard.
“We still have to go to the grocery store after they leave, we still have to go to the bank after they leave,” she said. “We don’t need to have fire in our community, we don’t need to be breaking our own windows.”
“It has caused great concern for everybody,” Viles Dorsainvil said.
Dorsainvil is the executive director of the Haitian Support Center.
He said he’s upset that his community is being lumped in with undocumented immigrants.
“They came here legally, they work, they send their kids to school, they pay taxes, they open businesses,” Dorsainvil said.
People in Springfield said they have watched the recent protests in large cities.
They even took note of the rally in downtown Dayton Thursday night.
“We do not want outsiders in our community on February 3rd, we do not!” Williams said. “If you think you’re going to come here and riot and fight, we don’t need help, we got it.”
Many members of the Haitian community have opened businesses and bought homes in Springfield.
The potential impact this transition may have is still unclear, but community leaders just hope everyone stays safe.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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