1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants and support legislation that establishes clear limits on ICE enforcement operations, particularly in communities like Springfield, Ohio where these policies are causing profound harm to both immigrant families and American citizens. The Trump administration's November announcement terminating TPS for approximately 300,000 Haitians nationwide, with the program set to expire on February 3, 2025, has created a humanitarian crisis in Springfield. An estimated 12,000 Haitian immigrants who have been living legally under TPS now face deportation despite having built lives, started businesses, and contributed to the community. This policy punishes people who followed legal pathways and were granted protection due to humanitarian crises in Haiti. The impact extends far beyond the immigrant community. Local health officials estimate approximately 1,300 U.S. citizen children have been born to Haitian parents in Springfield since 2021, and another 1,500 Haitian children attend Springfield City Schools, representing roughly 20 percent of district enrollment. Clark County has only about 20 certified foster families, creating the potential for a child welfare crisis if parents are detained while children are at school. As Casey Rollins of St. Vincent de Paul stated, "It's bad enough that we adults can't figure out our problems of the world. It's far worse that the children have to be collateral damage of adult decisions." The fear has spread to Black American citizens as well. Joyce, a Springfield resident, reports her 12-year-old grandson is "scared to death" walking to and from school, worried about being mistaken for an undocumented immigrant. This demonstrates how unchecked enforcement creates racial profiling that harms citizens. I urge you to support legislation that extends TPS protections for Haitians and establishes clear enforcement protocols requiring advance notice to local officials, prohibiting enforcement near schools, and protecting individuals with pending immigration applications. Springfield needs solutions that uphold both the rule of law and fundamental American values of fairness and family unity.