The Trump administration is eyeing Ohio for immigration enforcement operations that could begin as early as next week, according to four people familiar with the discussions.
The operation is expected to target Haitian immigrants, with temporary protected status for Haiti expiring on Feb. 3, one of the people familiar with the matter told MS NOW. Details on how many federal immigration agents there will be or the makeup of the operation remain unclear.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem terminated temporary protected status for Haiti last year with an estimated more than 330,000 Haitian immigrants set to lose their protected status on Feb. 3.
We pray for the best but we are preparing for the worst.”
Viles Dorsainvil, executive director of the Haitian Support Center in Springfield, Ohio
An estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Haitians live in Springfield, Ohio, a community that President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance targeted during the 2024 campaign. Vance lied about Haitian immigrants eating cats and dogs — a conspiracy theory that Trump repeated during a presidential debate — and later admitted to creating stories to get media coverage.
“The feeling has been of fear since after the presidential election,” said Viles Dorsainvil, executive director of the Haitian Support Center in Springfield. “As an immigrant community in Springfield, it has been a constant fear for us.”
Dorsainvil told MS NOW that his group is “preparing for anything” and is preparing legal, transportation and other services for immigrants who may be fearful of stepping outside their homes. His organization is also preparing a video that will give advice to immigrants who could be detained and may be separated from their children.
“We pray for the best but we are preparing for the worst,” Dorsainvil said.
DHS did not immediately respond to MS NOW’s request for comment on Friday.
The Ohio governor’s spokesperson also did not reply to MS NOW’s request for comment. Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, told local reporters on Friday that he had “no idea whether ICE is going to come into Springfield, Ohio, or not.”
A spokesperson for the city of Springfield said local police are “proactively engaged” with DHS.
“We do not have any information or confirmation regarding a deployment plan,” said Karen Graves, spokesperson for the city of Springfield.
After the highly publicized and controversial Minnesota operation, MS NOW reported DHS plans to target the Somali immigrant community in Maine for immigration enforcement actions. Several hundred federal immigration agents arrived in Maine last week, targeting Somali immigrants and others for arrest.
DHS said on Thursday that agents arrested “more than 200” undocumented immigrants, claiming to have targeted “egregious criminal alien offenders.”
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she negotiated an end to the surge with DHS. But when asked about a drawdown, a spokesperson for DHS said the department “will continue to enforce the law across the country.”
