In a victory for the movement for immigrant rights, a federal court has paused the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian immigrants living in the U.S. Now, more than 300,000 Haitians have been thrown into a legal limbo while facing imminent mass ICE terror. The mass outrage over Kristi Noem’s termination order has galvanized people across Ohio and the entire country to stand with Haitians– now, we must continue the fight to ensure permanent legal status for all Haitian immigrants!
In a leaked memo, Springfield, OH was revealed as the next epicenter for a mass ICE surge targeting Haitian immigrants. Nearly 15,000 Haitians – 25% of the city’s entire population – call Springfield home. Central Ohio broadly is home to more than 30,000 Haitians. This ICE surge will have devastating impacts on the Haitian community, who already face precarious circumstances, and does absolutely nothing to address the real problems of the broader Ohio working class. Rather than tackle poverty, soaring food prices and rent, or the opioid crisis, Trump and the billionaires are looking to scapegoat immigrants for all of our problems!
We know that legal victories like these are often temporary. Instead of targeting and criminalizing Haitians, we must defend TPS and win permanent legalization! Now is the moment for all Ohioans to mobilize against ICE across the state. This legal victory for the movement is just the first step. In order to beat ICE and Trump’s racist deportation agenda we have to expand the fight back. Minnesota has shown us the power we have when we strike against ICE – now, it’s Ohio’s turn to lead the way!
