The Dominican Republic has pledged to deport up to 10,000 people a week as it deals with the brunt of the migration of Haitians fleeing conflict at home. It deported over 200,000 Haitians last year and nearly 15,000 in first two weeks of 2025.

Despite legally migrating to the U.S. under the country’s Temporary Protected Status program, many of the thousands of Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, are fearful President Donald Trump’s promised migration crackdown will soon include them.

Four months ago, then-presidential nominee Donald Trump repeatedly told his supporters a baseless lie that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio were eating residents’ pets.

As Haitian Community Help and Support Center Executive Director Viles Dorsainvil oversees the clean-up and renovation of their new, future location in a former fire station on West Pleasant Street in Springfield,

Community leaders say many are overwhelmed by fears Trump will end or let expire the Temporary Protected Status program that allows them to remain in the U.S. legally.