Faith leaders in Springfield, Ohio, said Haitian immigrants have helped revitalize the city but an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision could undo much of their progress.
The justices are considering whether the Trump administration can end the Temporary Protected Status program and place legal Haitian immigrants under the threat of immediate deportation.
Carl Ruby, senior pastor at Springfield’s Central Christian Church, said Haitian families in the city work, pay taxes and contribute food, art and a strong sense of faith.
“They are helping to build churches back up," Ruby explained. "It's not only going to be a tragedy for businesses, it'll be a tragedy for churches if they have to go.”
Ruby stressed it is heartbreaking to think some Haitian children he cares for could be killed if they are returned to their home country. The U.S. State Department has reissued its highest travel warning for the island because of the threat of kidnapping and civil unrest but maintains the situation has improved enough for citizens to return home.
People across the globe rallied behind Springfield’s immigrants after President Donald Trump made false and racist statements about them during his 2024 campaign. The small blue-collar city was rocked by bomb threats and white supremacist rallies but also saw an influx of donations to local nonprofits, helping residents of all backgrounds cover their most basic needs.
Ruby pointed out some of the money may be used to help area churches provide Haitians with sanctuary if they face deportation to the violence they once fled.
“For us, this rises to a level where it may require civil disobedience to protect our Haitian friends, and there are many people willing to do that,” Ruby emphasized.
There are an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Haitians in Springfield. Many arrived in Ohio after Haiti’s president was assassinated in 2021.
Ruby underscored how people of faith treat immigrants is so important it is mentioned in two of the Bible’s most critical passages: the Ten Commandments and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
Support for this reporting was provided by the philanthropic foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Source: Public News Service
