Rev. Carl Ruby, a Springfield pastor of 45 years, urges Congress to protect Haitian neighbors who arrived under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). He recounts threats and assaults that followed political attacks and highlights the contributions Haitian families have made to Springfield’s recovery. With the Supreme Court ruling on June 25 allowing the administration to end deportation protections immediately, Ruby calls on the Senate to pass a House-backed bipartisan bill to extend TPS for three years and preserve community stability.
Springfield Pastor Pleads: Let Haitian Families With TPS Stay
Alimemby Estimable, 19, talks about being Haitian in Springfield, Ohio, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. He said he graduated from Springfield High School and now works for Amazon. He said he came here four years ago to help his mother. He was with friends in the strip mall on the west side of Springfield.
I have lived in Springfield, Ohio, for 45 years. Over that time I’ve seen our city move from long decline to renewed growth, and a major part of that turnaround has come from thousands of Haitian newcomers who arrived seeking safety and opportunity. Many of them live here under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and have contributed as small-business owners, employees, volunteers and active church members.
A Community Under Threat
After President Donald Trump amplified a racist hoax directed at Haitian families in Springfield, our community endured bomb threats, street assaults and parents removing children from school because it felt unsafe. I will never forget the fear on the faces of members of my congregation during Sunday services.
Marlee Karissa Merzius, 10, left, her sister, Sephora Merzius, 9, and friend, Rose Anne Telusma, perform ‘Every Move I Make’ during the homecoming service at First Baptist Church in Springfield, Ohio, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. The girls are originally from Haiti. The area has attracted national scrutiny after conservative figures, including former President Donald Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance, spread debunked claims that Haitians in the community were stealing and eating people’s pets.
Despite that fear, neighbors rose to the occasion. People stood up for one another and refused to be cowed by political attacks. That solidarity must continue now.
Why TPS Matters
Temporary Protected Status was created in 1990 to offer a legal way for people from countries facing catastrophic or dangerous conditions to remain in the United States when return is unsafe. TPS recipients in Springfield have built lives here — paying taxes, raising children, running businesses and strengthening neighborhoods.
Carl Ruby
Right now those lives are at stake. The administration has sought to terminate TPS for tens of thousands of Haitian nationals, and on June 25 the Supreme Court ruled that the administration can immediately end deportation protections for Haitians and Syrians. That ruling makes urgent congressional action.
Congress Can Act
The House has already passed a bipartisan bill to extend TPS for Haitians for three years. The Senate could consider that bill this month. Passing it would prevent an abrupt withdrawal of protections for people who fled dire conditions in Haiti and would preserve stability for families and the broader Springfield community.
As a pastor, I believe our moral teachings call us to protect the vulnerable and to welcome neighbors who contribute to the common good. It is painful to see elected leaders drift from those values. Now is the moment for people of conscience to speak up.
I urge our members of Congress to defend Ohio towns like Springfield from political bullying and to keep long-standing residents where they belong — at home, contributing to the life of our city.
Rev. Carl Ruby serves as senior pastor of Central Christian Church in Springfield. He founded Springfield Neighbors United and G92, organizations that support Haitian residents facing deportation.
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