‘Even the nuns are mad’: Catholic sisters are standing for Haitians outside ICE offices

August 10, 2026

Catholic nuns and interfaith religious leaders gathered outside an ICE office in Blue Ash, Ohio to support Haitian immigrants who were ordered to report after the Trump administration ended Temporary Protected Status for Haiti. The demonstration drew nearly 700 supporters who witnessed approximately a dozen Springfield-area Haitian residents entering the facility, where they emerged hours later with GPS ankle monitors attached. Springfield, located an hour north, has seen its Haitian population grow to roughly one-quarter of its 60,000 residents, many of whom had been living legally under TPS protections that are now being eliminated following a Supreme Court decision.

Who is affected

Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio (approximately one in four of the city's 60,000 residents)
Haitian immigrants with Temporary Protected Status across the United States (hundreds of thousands)
U.S.-born citizen children of Haitian immigrants who may face family separation
Catholic sisters from multiple orders (Sisters of Divine Providence, Sisters of Mercy, Sisters of the Precious Blood, Sisters of Charity, Sisters of Notre Dame)
Ohio Sisters Justice Network members
Springfield faith-based and secular volunteer groups
Religious leaders including Jewish, Baptist, Muslim, and Christian clergy
The broader Springfield community

What action is being taken

ICE is sending letters to Haitians in Springfield informing them of TPS enforcement
Haitian immigrants are reporting to the ICE field office in Blue Ash for appointments
ICE is placing GPS tracking ankle monitors on Haitian immigrants
Nearly 700 supporters are demonstrating and maintaining vigils outside the ICE office
Catholic sisters and interfaith religious leaders are offering communion, prayer, and witnessing at the ICE office entrance
Faith-based and secular groups are marshalling thousands of volunteers in Springfield
Organizations are stockpiling supplies and forming ICE patrols
DHS is conducting law enforcement activities across the country
Religious leaders are organizing demonstrations at ICE facilities in Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia

Why it matters

This enforcement action represents a significant shift in immigration policy affecting a vulnerable population that had been living and working legally in the United States under humanitarian protections. The situation in Springfield is particularly significant because Haitians comprise roughly 25% of the city's population, meaning enforcement could devastate the community and potentially create a humanitarian crisis involving family separations and U.S. citizen children left without parents. The religious community's organized response highlights deep moral and ethical concerns about changing the rules on people who followed legal pathways, as well as broader questions about society's treatment of immigrants and the intersection of faith values with government policy. The situation also reflects lessons learned from the Minneapolis "Operation Metro Surge" that resulted in two American deaths, prompting both authorities and advocates to adjust their strategies.

What's next

Faith-based and secular groups are continuing to prepare for potential mass deportation events
Volunteers have expanded their witnessing efforts to Blue Ash and other cities with ICE offices
Organizations are planning for potential care of U.S.-born citizen children who may be separated from deported parents
Religious leaders plan to continue demonstrations and vigils at ICE facilities across multiple cities

Read full article from source: The 19th