WASHINGTON, D.C. — Late Thursday morning, the court ruled in favor of the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security, which wanted to end Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for people from countries including Haiti.
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Haitians who came to Springfield under TPS were here legally, but the decision clears the way for Homeland Security to remove those legal protections.
Haitians who only have TPS as an immigration status will be considered TPS overstays and will be living in the country illegally, subject to detention and deportation.
“I’m alright with that, and I’m pretty sure you know my family and stuff when we talk about it, they are too,” Deana Floss said.
We got mixed reactions to the decision in Springfield on Thursday.
“I don’t think they should take them away. It’s not very good in their country,” Debbie Keeton said.
“If they need to be here to have that fresher start, let them stay. Let them try to take and have the freedom that some of these other countries don’t allow them to have,” Amy Brown said.
News Center 7’s John Bedell posted news of the decision on his Facebook page and asked people what they thought.
Carole Rurode Wallen wrote, “I think it’s great!”
Terry Rector said, “There has to be an end date on something temporary, otherwise it isn’t.”
And Meg Baldwin Ulmes wrote: “I think it will take Springfield some time to recover from the Haitians leaving the workforce and culture of the community.”
In a statement, Springfield’s mayor said:
“In light of today’s decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, which allows the federal government to move forward with the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections for Haitian and Syrian nationals, we recognize that this ruling may create significant uncertainty for immigrant families who have become part of our community.
Many of the individuals affected by this decision are our neighbors, coworkers, business owners, taxpayers and parents. They contribute to our local economy, support our schools, strengthen our neighborhoods and have become part of the fabric of Springfield.
While we respect the judicial process and will follow federal law, our top priority remains the safety and well-being of all residents. We value every person in our community and remain committed to maintaining stability and support for those who call our City home.
Court decisions may shape policy, but the strength of a community is shaped by the people who show up every day to build it. Springfield will not lose sight of that.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
>> End of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants in Springfield quickly approaching
>> ‘Death is not speculative;’ Lawyers representing TPS holders outline risks for returning to Haiti
>> House passes measure to extend TPS for Haitian immigrants; Springfield mayor issues statement
>> Springfield community reacts to federal judge continuing pause on TPS expiration
>> Local Haitian supporter heads to Washington, D.C. to appeal to justices over TPS extension
>> Economic concerns loom as Haitian temporary legal status expires soon
DHS’ Chief Legal Advisor said in a statement to News Center 7:
“In our second Supreme Court win of the day, the Court vindicates DHS yet again. The T in TPS stands for TEMPORARY, yet many of these designations became de facto amnesty. This is a win for the rule of law and common sense.”
One of the concerns News Center 7 has been covering for months now is how this decision will impact the local economy and what it means for state resources sent here to address the strain on local services created by the population influx.
The state of Ohio sent resources to Springfield to help with healthcare and driver education.
We asked Gov. Mike DeWine’s office what will happen to those state resources now?
A spokesman for his office said:
“We will continue to monitor the situation and requests from local officials. This is a developing situation for which such comment is premature.”
>> DeWine calls ending Temporary Protective Status for Ohio’s Haitian immigrants a ‘mistake’
In a separate statement, DeWine himself expressed economic concerns over the ruling, saying in part:
“This also means that while these Haitians were working and contributing to our community and economy yesterday, today it is now illegal to employ them.”
The Greater Springfield Partnership spoke on the economic impact on Thursday. In a statement, they said:
“Our primary focus at the Greater Springfield Partnership is business continuity and economic stability. The Haitian community has been vital to Springfield’s recent manufacturing and logistics growth, filling critical labor shortages. This decision introduces operational challenges for local employers who rely on these hard-working individuals. We are actively working with our member businesses to help them navigate these regulatory changes.”
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