1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to demand that Governor DeWine immediately cease cooperation with the planned ICE enforcement surge in Springfield and take a firm stand against federal immigration raids in our communities. According to Springfield City School District Superintendent Bob Hill, federal authorities have signaled an enforcement window of at least 30 days following the February 3 expiration of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants. Governor DeWine reportedly hosted a meeting with state leaders and emergency management officials to coordinate this enforcement action. This is unacceptable. Rather than facilitating these raids, the Governor should be protecting Ohio residents. The impact on Springfield will be devastating. Immigrant students comprise 5 to 40 percent of individual school building populations in the district, with approximately 20 percent of the district's 1,400 students lacking citizenship documents. These are children who belong in classrooms, not caught up in aggressive enforcement operations. Government officials are even instructing advocates to help Haitian immigrants "self-deport" to third countries, a cruel directive that tears apart families and communities. Recent ICE operations across the country have resulted in violence and tragedy, including the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Local prosecutors in Philadelphia, Austin, and Pima County have formed the Fight Against Federal Overreach coalition specifically to hold federal agents accountable for abuses of power during these raids. Ohio should be joining this effort, not enabling it. This enforcement campaign is rooted in the racist lies spread during the 2024 campaign by Vice President JD Vance and echoed by Trump, falsely claiming Haitian immigrants were eating pets. Springfield's Haitian community members are hardworking residents who contribute to our economy and enrich our communities. I urge Governor DeWine to publicly refuse cooperation with ICE enforcement operations, direct state resources toward protecting residents rather than facilitating raids, and join other states in holding federal agents accountable for abuses. Ohio should stand with its immigrant communities, not against them.