After the Trump administration ended temporary protected status for thousands of Haitian migrants in the U.S., Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Friday that immigration agents had arrested 380 people in Springfield, Ohio.
Springfield was thrust into the national spotlight in 2024 when then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump falsely claimed that members of the city’s large Haitian community were eating cats and dogs.
City officials estimate that at least 15,000 Haitian immigrants have moved to the region.
Temporary protected status allows foreign nationals to remain in the U.S. when conditions in their home country make it unsafe or difficult to return, including during violence or natural disasters. People granted TPS are protected from deportation and may obtain work permits.
The Trump administration ended temporary protected status for Haitian migrants in late July, encouraging them to accept the government’s offer of $3,000 and a return flight home to self-deport.
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Advocates for the Haitian community say conditions in Haiti remain too dangerous for migrants to return.
Despite the end of TPS protections, the Federal Aviation Administration continues to ban U.S. airlines from flying to Haiti. The State Department also maintains a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for the country.
“TPS is just that, it's temporary. It was never designed to be permanent. TPS was granted to these Haitians after an earthquake that took place over 15 years ago,” Mullin said.
The end of TPS received renewed attention this week after college freshman Pierre Damas Bel stepped in front of a vehicle on Interstate 70 and was fatally injured. The Springfield resident, who recently began classes at Wright State University, had been fitted with an ankle monitor.
“It's an unfortunate situation that took place by a young man, and his family's having to deal with a very horrible situation here,” Mullin said. He added that Damas Bel was not in ICE custody and that the agency was “not responsible” for his death.
Damas Bel had originally planned to attend Wittenberg University in Springfield but decided against it. The university’s men’s soccer program said the ankle monitor prevented him from playing.
“Tagged with an ankle monitor by ICE just days before preseason training began, Pierre was no longer able to play,” the team said. “So he chose to pursue his academic goals at nearby Wright State.”
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Mullin said the Department of Homeland Security would not reconsider its policy on ankle monitors following Damas Bel’s death.
“You got paroled and we want to make sure we know where you're at so you'll show back up to your court. If you understand the court dates, so many people don't show back up for immigration courts,” he said.
