380 arrested in Springfield, Ohio, after Haiti TPS protections end, Says DHS

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — 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.

Arrest and charges

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.RELATED STORY | US extends ban on flights to Haiti's capital as gang violence surgesAdvocates 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.