SPRINGFIELD — Thousands of Haitian immigrants living in Springfield are unsure of their future after the Trump administration announced it would be throwing out protections that shielded roughly half a million Haitians from deportation
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About 15,000 Haitian immigrants call Springfield home and were thrust into the national spotlight during the 2024 presidential election.
The Trump administration announced this week that the protection status allowing them to stay in the country will end in August. It’s a decision that Lindsly Amie, co-founder of the Haitian Community Help Center in Springfield, said has left thousands of people in Springfield in limbo.
“They have to flee the United States and go to Canada looking for peace,” Amie said.
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Springfield city leaders have struggled with a huge influx of legal Haitian immigrants over the last several years. It led to packed city commission meetings where residents demanded the city find more resources for school and healthcare facilities.
The city did find help, especially from the state but there has been friction as everyone adjusted to a new normal. City leaders are now stuck in the middle with this immigration reversal.
News Center 7 requested an interview with city officials on Friday. They declined an on-camera interview, but Mayor Rob Rue provided the following statement:
“We fully support the immigrants in our community who are here legally. At the same time, we remain steadfast in our commitment to upholding federal law, as we always have, and will continue to comply with any guidance from the Federal Administration.”
As reported on News Center 7 at 5:00, Haitian leaders say it’s not a good option to go back to a homeland riddled with gun violence, but some people are already doing that.
“They have their lives settled down here, you know,” Amie said. “They already have a job for a couple of years and pay taxes and everything.”
It’s unclear whether many of the Haitians, who are all here legally now, have other options to apply for asylum or other ways to stay legally beyond August.
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