Ohio governor warns Trump against mass deportation of Haitians

Jul 28, 2026

Ohio's Republican Governor Mike DeWine is warning the Trump administration against its plan to deport hundreds of thousands of Haitians, calling it a "mistake." The move follows a Supreme Court ruling allowing the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). DeWine argues the deportations would harm Ohio's economy and send people back to a country in "virtual chaos," while the Trump administration plans to ramp up ICE operations.

DeWine opposition to deportations

▪Ohio's Republican Governor, Mike DeWine, opposes the Trump administration's plan to deport Haitians, calling it a "mistake" and a "blow to the state of Ohio."
▪Governor Mike DeWine said that very few Haitians will voluntarily return to Haiti and will likely go elsewhere if forced to leave the U.S.
▪Governor Mike DeWine stated that deporting Haitians would be bad for Ohio's economy, particularly that of Springfield.

Haitian economic contributions in Springfield

▪In Florida, an estimated 158,000 Haitian TPS holders reside, with 93,000 participating in the workforce.
▪The deportation of Haitians could result in a $400 million loss to Ohio's economy.
▪Governor Mike DeWine said Haitians have helped Springfield's economy "come back" by filling jobs that were not being filled by others and opening businesses.
▪Between 12,000 and 15,000 Haitians live in and around Springfield, Ohio.

Haiti security crisis

▪Governor Mike DeWine described Haiti as being in "virtual chaos" with "no semblance of government" and unstable due to gang control.
▪The U.S. State Department has issued a warning advising Americans not to travel to Haiti.

Trump administration deportation policy

▪U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to increase operations to arrest and deport Haitian migrants.
▪White House adviser Stephen Miller supports the deportations, stating, "We can finally remove these Haitian illegal migrants."
▪In 2024, Donald Trump falsely claimed that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating residents' pets.

Temporary Protected Status termination

▪TPS protections for Haitians, which provided deportation protection and work authorization, were set to expire on June 27.
▪An estimated 50,000 U.S. citizen children have at least one parent who is a Haitian TPS holder.
▪The end of TPS is set to affect an estimated 300,000 to 350,000 Haitians living in the U.S.
▪On June 25, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Mullin v. Doe, allowing the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians.