SPRINGFIELD — Faith leaders called attention to the immigration enforcement impact in Springfield.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
As reported on News Center 7 at 11:00, people gathered for a potluck and Rally at Springfield City Plaza on South Limestone Street on Sunday.
TRENDING STORIES:
- 1 flown to hospital, several injured after 3-vehicle crash in Clark County
- Semi seen dangling over Ohio interstate after crash
- Under 1K outages reported across part of region
Their goal was to explain the human toll of immigration enforcement on Springfield’s Haitian Community.
“Every day this week they’ve picked up people,” said Carl Ruby, Senior Pastor at Central Christian Church and founder of G-92.
He laid out three requests. The group wants two pastors released from ICE custody, daily raids to end, and the use of shackles to be eliminated.
“There’s a lot of symbolism with shackles that carries a lot of meaning to Haitians and to the black community,” said Ruby.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) ended for Haitians last month, as previously reported. It allowed them to live in the United States legally because of dangerous conditions in Haiti.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has encouraged them to apply for a new visa or self-deport. “Temporary protected status is exactly that — TEMPORARY,” DHS said on social media back in July.
A man told us that this issue has divided the community.
“I think our mayor, our city commission, they allowed all this influx to come in along with Governor DeWine, which put a real strain on the community,” said Phil Swanton. “And it’s really put a divide in the community.”
He told our news crew that he does not agree with everything faith leaders did on Sunday. But he wants people to remain the top priority.
“It’s going to happen; it’s what’s happened. I just don’t want it. Violence, or the crazy stuff I’ve seen in other cities to come to Springfield,” said Swanton.
The federal government said they are arresting people who said they are in the country illegally across Ohio every day.
News Center 7 has confirmed dozens of ICE arrests in Springfield.
Pastor Ruby told our news crew that he does not want to see any more arrests.
“We may have a crowd of up to 800 or so, maybe more, coming to just peacefully express our desire for a more just approach to immigration,” he said.
Pastor Ruby said that he wants to see his fellow faith leaders released from custody. He said that their return would benefit their church communities.
Haitians previously had TPS since 2010. But it ended back in July.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]