Secret Network Shelters Haitian Families from ICE: 'This Needs to Be Happening, Even if There Are Risks'

A discreet network of residents in Springfield, Ohio, has been sheltering Haitian immigrant families amid fears of immigration raids as the Trump administration moves to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections.

The effort emerged as federal authorities sought to terminate protections for Haitians and pushed broader legal actions that could allow similar measures against other migrant groups.

More than 10,000 Haitians live in Springfield, a city of about 58,000 between Dayton and Columbus. Many have been allowed to live and work in the United States under TPS, a program created for people who cannot safely return to their countries because of natural disasters or armed conflict. Haitians first received TPS after the 2010 earthquake, and the protections were later expanded due to political instability and violence in the country.

In February 2025, the Trump administration shortened TPS protections for Haitians by revoking an extension granted by the Biden administration, affecting more than 500,000 people nationwide. Earlier this year, officials moved to terminate those protections entirely effective February 3, raising the possibility that many Haitians could become deportable overnight.

A federal judge blocked the termination of TPS for Haitians while lawsuits proceed, offering temporary relief. At the same time, the Justice Department has asked the Supreme Court to allow officials to terminate TPS protections for about 6,000 Syrians, arguing lower courts have interfered with immigration policy decisions. The Court's ruling could give the administration far more power to limit or end T.P.S. across the board.

As the February deadline approached, Haitian residents in Springfield began withdrawing from daily life and ome residents responded by quietly opening their homes, as The New York Times explains. A retiree identified as Lee prepared a spare bedroom before welcoming a Haitian mother and her one-month-old baby she had never met. Other residents converted basements and spare rooms into temporary shelters.

The effort was coordinated informally by volunteers who vetted potential hosts through personal networks. Names and contact information were kept in a handwritten notebook rather than digital records. Federal law makes it a crime to conceal or harbor unauthorized immigrants, an offense punishable by up to five years in prison.

"Almost everything is in a gray area," said Jean, one of the organizers. "This needs to be happening, even if there are risks."