Some Springfield residents are grappling with how to prepare for Febr. 3.
That’s the day when the Trump administration plans to eliminate what’s called Temporary Protected Status or TPS for Haitian immigrants. In recent years, it’s the legal way thousands of Haitians have immigrated into the U.S. and into Ohio.
Earlier this month, more than 300 people filled the community room at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Springfield. A panel of municipal leaders and local nonprofits fielded questions regarding the fate of the city’s Haitian immigrants. There's no official count, though some estimates say there are 12,000 to 15,000 Haitians living in the area.
Springfield leaders say they plan to host another information meeting in January.
"Ending TPS is encouraging forcing self-deportation. It's a decision that would put a real human life at risk. Haiti is not safe," Biassou Pierre said.
He's from Haiti and at this time legally in the U.S. Pierre is also a community organizer for the local Advocates for Basic Legal Equality.
"Asking people to self-deport under this condition is asking them to walk willing into harm's way," Pierre said. "Legal status in the United States is not just a document. It's a protection. It is stability."
Marsha Norris, a retired teacher and a reading tutor in Springfield City Schools, works with students in grades K-5. Norris worries ICE agents will round up Haitian students at local schools.
"They could potentially be uprooted or that they could be assaulted or be treated unfairly. Separated from their families," Norris said.
Superintendent Bob Hill assures the schools are safe places, even if federal ICE agents come on campus.
"As long as they present the school district with the appropriate paperwork, we will follow the law. However, we have procedures in place to ensure that that does not occur in the hallways, in the classrooms. It will be handled in a professional manner, in a discreet manner, to prevent any type of disruption to the educational process of all students," said Hill.
People in the audience sent their questions to the panel via index cards, read by a moderator. One of the submitted questions asked why are Haitians not being directed to go where they want instead of Haiti, such as if they came to the U.S. from Brazil or Mexico.
Viles Dorsainvil, executive director of Springfield’s Haitian Community Center, explained that kind of move is a long, complicated process.
"Folks are trying to apply for visas to go back to those countries, but those borders have become tighter and they're not approving their visas. It's very difficult for them to get back to those countries," Dorsainvil.
For the past five years, Dorsainvil has been in this country under TPS. Now he's filed for asylum.
"Secondly there is option for some of them to go to Canada, but you have to have a family member to go back there," he said.
What are residents' rights? What are ICE agents' rights?
A host of questions focused on the rights of ICE agents, and of residents including blocking the deportation of immigrants.
"You do need to be careful about if you are shielding someone that you know ICE is directly pursuing, then you could be getting into a space where you're considered to be harboring," said ABLE attorney Katie Kersh answered, who manages the group’s immigration practice. "You need to talk to an attorney who specializes in criminal law and or business law, because you're really asking about a business's right to create private spaces and exclude law enforcement and others from private spaces."
Her colleague attorney Maria Otera also said ICE agents don’t automatically have authority to enter a private home or a business. They must have a signed judicial warrant.
"If ICE shows up without a judicial warrant, you do not have to let them in," Otera said. "Make sure that you don't open the door either cause sometimes opening the door they'll take that as an invite to get in. So just talk to them through a window, through the door."
According to Otero and Kersh, laws surrounding immigrants in the U.S. seeking asylum haven’t changed and at this time are not affected by the end of TPS.
Other questions focused on how local police officers will navigate ICE agents in Springfield. Police Chief Allison Elliott stressed her officers enforce city and state laws. However, she said sometimes they assist federal agents. At the same time, she said her officers will create safe spaces if residents choose to protest, and anyone has the right to shoot video of all ICE interactions and question agents.
"As long as you are not interfering or creating a safety issue, you are well within your rights to record that interaction with local law enforcement or your federal partners," Elliott said.
With that, Elliott also cautioned people to be responsible when posting video onto social media platforms. She urged people to only share verified, reputable information online.
"We protect and we uphold your First Amendment rights and we respect that. But there is responsibility with what you do and how you post it," Elliott said.
Marion Stewart volunteers with Springfield Neighbors United.
"I think one of the worst things we can do is be surprised and we react. We know this is coming," said Stewart.
She and the group is handing out "whistle packets" across the city. Each has an eight page booklet detailing the S.A.L.U.T.E. Method, a way to report suspicious activities and people. It also includes an orange plastic whistle.
"You use short blasts on a whistle if you see ICE nearby but you use long blasts if ICE is like actually apprehending someone. It's a way that we can protect our neighbors," Stewart said.
'We’re going to be prepared now'
Denise Williams, president of the Springfield chapter of the NAACP, spearheaded the meeting.
“We’re going to stand up with our Haitian community, or Hispanic community. We’re standing up with everybody, together as one community, we will not be separated. We’re going to be out front, we’re going to speak out against this thing that’s headed our way," Williams said. "Folks say that they’re not coming here until Feb. 3, I don’t believe any of that. There are sightings that they’re here already. So we need to be prepared now. We’re not waiting until Feb. 2 to call a meeting like this. We’re going to be prepared now."
While the focus of this town hall was on Haitians, resident Marsha Norris voiced a concern shared by some of Springfield’s African Americans. "As a Black person I could possibly be targeted," Norris said.
City Manager Brian Heck quickly responded to her fear.
"We're definitely not going to allow is intimidation, discrimination. That's no. Everybody deserves dignity. Everybody deserves safety," Heck said.
Springfield and Ohio officials still don’t know details surrounding the future of Haiti’s TPS designation, Heck said. But he promised to update people as February approaches.
Lifelong Springfield resident Camille Hall said she’s not bothered by the uncertainty and is hopeful.
"I never look at anything as dark as it may be as the end all be all because there is life after ice and for all of our immigrant brothers and sisters. They are a resilient people, and they will survive and they will, you know, continue to thrive and continue to go on," Hall said.
Two area groups are collecting donations for legal fees and various expenses Haitians and other immigrants are now facing. The city’s United Way runs the Springfield Unity Fund. The other is Grace Urban Development based in Dayton.
