SPRINGFIELD — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) assistant director said there are no specific actions to mobilize Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in places like Springfield if Haiti’s Temporary Protection Status (TPS) designation is terminated, according to federal court documents.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
A declaration by DHS Assistant Director Liana J. Castano was filed on Tuesday. In it, she said she was “not aware” of plans to mobilize ICE in areas heavily populated with Haitian TPS holders, such as Springfield and South Florida.
She added that “ICE is engaged in daily enforcement activities across the country in various locations, including but not limited to Springfield, Ohio and South Florida.”
TRENDING STORIES:
- Springfield chosen to participate in nation’s first Statewide Drone First Responder Pilot Program
- Court records reveal new details on the disappearance, death of 17-year-old Indiana girl
- Man charged in connection with shooting that killed mother of 5 in apartment stairwell
“ICE operations are targeted to those who are removable from the country, regardless of nationality, with the end goal of enforcing the immigration laws to preserve the national security and public safety of the United States,” Castano wrote.
The filing came after a federal court ordered the government to clarify if it is planning to mobilize immigration officers in Springfield ahead of the planned termination of protections for Haitian nationals.
The declaration had to be filed by 10 a.m. today.
The plaintiffs in the case have to file their response by tomorrow, and a motion hearing is currently scheduled in the case for Wednesday morning.
As News Center 7 previously reported, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington, D.C. granted a pause on the termination of the TPS for Haitians while a lawsuit challenging it proceeds.
The court highlighted a potential contradiction in the government’s legal arguments regarding “irreparable harm.”
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]