Fearing Deportation, Some Haitian Migrants Leaving Springfield, Ohio

Ketlie Moise fled unspeakable violence in her homeland of Haiti hoping to find peace and a slice of the American dream, settling in Springfield, Ohio.

{snip}

{snip} She is one of the thousands of Haitian migrants building a life in Springfield who now find themselves in the crosshairs of the incoming Trump administration. About 12,000 to 15,000 Haitians reside in the Springfield area, according to city estimates.

It was during President-elect Donald Trump’s Sept. 10 debate with Vice President Kamala Harris that Springfield came to forefront, when Trump repeated false and debunked claims about the Haitian migrants living there. Local officials have said there are no credible reports to back up such allegations.

Trump made the issue of mass deportations a major pillar of his presidential campaign.

“We’re going to have the largest deportation in the history of our country, and we’re going to start with Springfield and Aurora,” Trump told reporters on Sept. 13 {snip}

{snip}

Moise, like most fellow Haitians in Springfield, is here legally through Temporary Protected Status, which Trump has vowed to end. The TPS program allows federal officials to grant deportation relief and work authorization to migrants from countries beset by war, environmental disaster or another “extraordinary” crisis.

Moise says she knows about 10 friends and neighbors who have recently left Springfield, along with several restaurant employees.

{snip}