• The numbers: How many Haitians are in the Springfield area? Here’s what we know from publicly accessible data analyzed by Springfield reporter Jessica Orozco.
• What’s coming?: After some initially warned of an anticipated 30-day ICE surge following the end of TPS, school and state officials stressed they have had no direct communication with the feds about potential enforcement actions, but they are preparing for the possibility.
• Pending decision: A federal judge in Washington D.C. could issue a last-minute ruling that blocks the federal government’s termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians. The lead counsel in the D.C. case was in Springfield Monday and talked with our reporters about what a ruling could mean.
• Community gathering: St. John Missionary Baptist Church was over capacity as hundreds supported Springfield’s Haitian community while advocating for the extension of Temporary Protected Status Monday morning
• Economic impact: The Springfield metro area had the worst job losses in the state in the last year, according to new federal survey data, and some researchers and leaders believe there are bound to be more layoffs and job cuts if Haitian nationals in the community lose their work permits. Read that story here.
• Community survey: In this story, we summarized our Dayton Daily News/Springfield News-Sun survey of area residents’ perspectives on the end of TPS and possibility of aggressive immigration enforcement. While non-scientific, the survey illustrates the conflicting views of residents in a city shoved into the center of the national immigration debate.
• Living in fear: Reporter Cornelius Frolik traveled the streets of Springfield with a translator and spoke to more than a dozen Haitian people living and working in the Springfield area. Most of them expressed feelings of uncertainty and dread about the TPS cancellation.
• Lawsuits: Area Haitians on TPS are pinning their hopes on a couple of lawsuits that challenge the legality of the federal government’s decision to cancel the TPS designation for Haiti. Here are the details on those lawsuits, including one involving a Springfield man.
• Keket: Our reporters sat down with a local restaurant owner concerned that immigration enforcement fears could close her business. Her compelling personal story is captured in writing and video here.
• Residents prepare: More than 80 people took part in an educational event at Zion Hill Baptist Church in Springfield Thursday evening, learning about their rights and those of their neighbors regardless of immigration status.
• Law enforcement: Local law enforcement officials say they will work to “maintain the peace” amid any ICE surge, but they won’t enforce federal immigration law.
• City leaders: The Springfield City Commission unanimously passed a resolution asking federal immigration agents to follow local rules when conducting enforcement activities.
• Politicians react: Our statehouse reporter Avery Kreemer reached out to politicians who represent Dayton and Springfield at the state and national level about their views on ending TPS and an ICE surge. Read that story here.
• How we got here: We have been reporting on the growth of the Haitian population in Springfield and its effect on the community for years. This story from the archive explains why so many Haitians relocated to Springfield, Ohio.
• Dayton action: Several Dayton restaurants and other businesses closed Friday and hundreds of people gathered in front of U.S. Rep. Mike Turner’s Dayton office as part of the nationwide protest of ICE operations.
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