Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is telling migrants to either seek permanent legal status or leave the United States after a major Supreme Court win for the Trump administration. The warning comes as Springfield, Ohio, the city that became a national flashpoint over its huge Haitian migrant population, is waiting to see whether ICE enforcement will follow. Local officials say they have not been told about any planned operation, but community leaders are already bracing for the fallout.
The issue exploded again after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status protections for Haitians and Syrians. TPS had allowed many Haitians to live and work legally in the United States while Haiti remained under severe instability. Springfield has been one of the most visible examples of that policy, with thousands of Haitian migrants settling in the city over the last several years.
Mullin made the administration’s position clear during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” telling TPS holders that the status was never meant to become permanent. He said migrants should either fill out the proper paperwork to remain in the country through a permanent legal status or accept federal help returning home. His message was clear: temporary status means temporary status.
Reuters reported that Mullin said, “Either try to fill out the paperwork and be here underneath a permanent status or we’ll help you get back to your country.” He added that the government would provide a plane ticket and “roughly $2,100” to help migrants re-establish themselves after returning. “Temporary protective status, according to the courts and in its name itself, is not permanent status,” Mullin said.
The Supreme Court ruled in Mullin v. Doe that federal law blocks most judicial review of the Homeland Security secretary’s decision to terminate TPS designations. The ruling cleared away lower-court barriers that had delayed the administration’s effort to end TPS for Haiti and Syria. The Court also found that challengers were unlikely to succeed on claims that the Haiti decision was racially motivated.
That decision immediately put Springfield back under the microscope. Dayton 24/7 Now reported that questions remain in the city as thousands of Haitian migrants face the loss of temporary status and potential deportation. Viles Dorsainvil, Executive Director of the Haitian Support Center, said the Supreme Court decision has been devastating for the Haitian community, leading to expired driver’s licenses, job losses, and some residents considering leaving for other countries.
The City of Springfield states on its own immigration FAQ page that the immigrant population in Clark County is estimated at roughly 12,000 to 15,000 people. The city also says no government entity brought Haitian migrants to Springfield and that once a person with TPS enters the country, he is free to locate wherever he chooses. The same FAQ notes that immigrants with TPS had been protected from deportation while the status was in effect.
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Local leaders are now trying to figure out what ICE will do next. Dayton 24/7 Now reported that a Springfield spokesperson said federal authorities have not communicated any planned enforcement operations. The spokesperson also said the Springfield Police Division had not received reports of hate-related incidents connected to the recent TPS decision.
Springfield Police Chief Allison Elliott issued a carefully worded statement that did not directly say how the department would respond if federal immigration enforcement arrived in the city. “Our mission remains unchanged,” Elliott said. She said the division is committed to serving “all people with professionalism, impartiality, dignity, and respect,” while also saying the department will continue working within “applicable law and our legal obligations.”
Elliott’s statement continued by saying the police division would maintain “professional partnerships” with local, state, and federal public safety agencies. That language left plenty of room for interpretation, as it did not announce resistance to ICE and did not promise special cooperation either. Instead, the department framed its role as keeping the community safe while complying with the law and maintaining public trust.
Gov. Mike DeWine’s office also said it had not received updates on any ICE activity, according to the Dayton report. DeWine has criticized the move to end TPS for Haitians, arguing that removing them from Ohio would harm families, employers, and the state economy. His concern has centered heavily on healthcare and eldercare, where he has said many Haitian workers are employed.
The issue has divided officials even within Republican circles. Mullin’s position reflects the Trump administration’s argument that TPS should not become an indefinite immigration status. DeWine, meanwhile, has argued that Haiti remains too dangerous for mass returns and that many Haitian migrants have become part of Ohio’s workforce.
The U.S. State Department currently lists Haiti under a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory because of crime, terrorism, kidnapping, unrest, etc. That advisory has become one of the central points raised by critics of the administration’s position. Mullin, however, argued that TPS holders should pursue permanent status if they qualify or use federal assistance to return.
For Springfield, the legal fight has now turned into a practical one. If TPS protections end for thousands of Haitians in and around the city, local employers, schools, churches, police, and social service groups could all feel the effects. The city says it has no confirmed information about an ICE operation, but the end of TPS means the question is no longer theoretical for the Haitian community or the Ohio town that became the center of the national immigration fight.
Watch a treacherous RINO throw a pro-Haitian temper tantrum here: