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https://www.whio.com/news/local/thousands-haitians-risk-losing-tps-springfield-later-this-week/GXEFWASUU5AIDCK37VBUWON47E/
SPRINGFIELD — Two days from now, thousands of Haitians in Springfield are expected to lose their Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced earlier this month that the TPS is set to end on July 24.

Dozens of people talked about what they have noticed living and working alongside thousands of Haitian immigrants who moved to Springfield under TPS.

At one point, it was estimated that 15,000 Haitian immigrants on TPS called Springfield home.
In one of Ohio’s largest populations of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, community leaders are concerned about another challenge that could create — more vacant homes.

Houses boarded up and abandoned are a reminder of a problem Springfield has spent years trying to fix. But with uncertainty around immigration status and Haitian families moving out because of it, city leaders worry the city could face another wave of empty houses.

For months, Haitian business owners in Springfield have been saying they’re losing business, and it’s getting worse.

Haitian families said many of their own left town out of fear of deportation after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
Now, there’s concern that if more Haitian families leave in a short period of time, even more houses can sit empty, adding to the neighborhoods they’ve been helping to recover from blight, and that recovery comes at a cost.


“If we didn’t have those funds coming down from the state, we would be stuck with all of those brownfields and blight in our community," said Harris.

Leaders say you can expect to see more renovation work happening over the next year, but they say there’s still more work to do as many Haitians move out.