Federal immigration agents have moved into Springfield, Ohio, with recent reports of activity at an apartment complex known to house Haitian families. The operation comes after Temporary Protected Status ended for Haitians, leaving former beneficiaries without the deportation protection attached to that program. Local reports indicate that ICE has already detained dozens of people in and around the city.
Springfield became a national immigration flashpoint after an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Haitians settled in Springfield and the surrounding area, compared with the city’s roughly 60,000 residents. Many arrived under federal humanitarian programs or later obtained TPS, a temporary status that allowed approved individuals to live and work in the United States without being removed. The sudden population increase also strained housing, schools, medical services, and other local resources. The city’s immigration FAQ acknowledged that humanitarian parole and TPS are temporary benefits and do not automatically provide permanent residency or a green card.
The latest account came from Dayton Daily News reporter Cornelius Frolik, who described seeing federal agents outside Stone Crossing in northeast Springfield on the morning of Thursday, August 20th. “I witnessed ICE surround a home in northeast Springfield this morning at about 10:35 am Thursday, Aug. 20th,” Frolik wrote. “They knocked on the door but no one opened it. A vehicle was running in front of the home. ICE then departed.”
Frolik added that neighbors said Stone Crossing “has lots of Haitian families.” Conservative commentator Jack Posobiec shared a screengrab of the account on X on Thursday, August 27th, and wrote, “BREAKING: ICE is now hitting Haitian apartment complexes in Springfield.” The accompanying image showed three officers outside a brick apartment building, two of whom wore vests marked “ICE.”
The visit appears to be one part of a wider enforcement operation already underway in Springfield. Spectrum News reported that Mayor Rob Rue had confirmed ICE’s presence in the city, while ICE has previously said it does not comment on ongoing operations. The report also described the detention of a local Haitian pastor, though it did not identify any criminal charge against him.
WKYC reported that at least 29 Haitians had been detained as of Friday, August 21st. Other local reporting placed the number above 30 and said detainees from Springfield were being transferred to the Butler County Jail in Hamilton. It remains unclear how long the operation will continue or how many people ICE is seeking.
The enforcement push follows a major change in the legal status of Haitian TPS recipients. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on June 25th in the consolidated cases Trump v. Miot and Mullin v. Doe, reversing lower-court decisions that had delayed the administration’s TPS terminations. The Court issued its judgment July 27th, and USCIS now lists Haiti’s TPS designation as terminated effective July 27th.
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Vice President JD Vance addressed the administration’s deportation effort during a recent visit to Springfield. He received applause after saying the country had recorded net outward migration under the Trump administration. “For the first time in my life, America saw net migration out of the country as we sent millions of illegal immigrants back home,” Vance said.
Watch a treacherous RINO throw a pro-Haitian temper tantrum here: