She helped Haitians settle into Springfield. Now she wonders if it’s safer for them to leave.

January 21, 2026

Margery Koveleski, a Haitian Creole-speaking interpreter in Springfield, Ohio, has spent nearly five years helping Haitian immigrants navigate life in America, but her work has shifted dramatically from helping people settle to assisting them as they face potential deportation. Springfield became home to an estimated 12,000-15,000 Haitian immigrants in recent years, revitalizing the local economy but also becoming a political flashpoint when Trump and Vance spread false claims about Haitians eating pets during the 2024 campaign. With Temporary Protected Status for Haitians set to expire on February 3, hundreds of thousands must choose between returning to a violent Haiti, relocating to another country, or living illegally in the U.S. Working alongside her daughter Laura from a tiny office in a Haitian grocery store, Margery now questions whether America remains a place worth fighting to stay in, even as she continues making exhausting trips to immigration court to support clients facing near-certain asylum denials.

Who is affected

Approximately 330,000 Haitians in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
An estimated 12,000-15,000 Haitian immigrants living in Springfield and Clark County, Ohio
Margery Koveleski and her daughter Laura Koveleski, who provide interpretation and immigration assistance services
Springfield employers who rely on Haitian workers
Local charities and churches serving the Haitian community
Springfield residents, including business owners and landlords
The parents of an 11-year-old boy killed in a 2023 school bus crash involving a Haitian driver
Springfield's Republican mayor and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
Local charity leaders and business owners who were doxxed or threatened for helping Haitians

What action is being taken

Margery and Laura are making frequent trips to immigration court in Cleveland (three hours away) with Haitian clients
They are interpreting at immigration interviews and assisting with immigration applications and paperwork
Charities and churches have developed meal-delivery systems so Haitians do not need to leave their houses
The Trump administration has attempted to move up the TPS end date for Haitians (though this effort was blocked by courts)
The administration is cutting off other avenues for Haitians to obtain different types of legal immigration statuses
Armed and masked immigration agents are conducting enforcement operations, including breaking down doors in Minneapolis homes
Many Haitians are planning to leave for Mexico, Brazil, or Chile ahead of the TPS end date
Some Haitians are hoping federal courts will intervene and extend the TPS program

Why it matters

This situation represents a fundamental shift in America's approach to immigration and humanitarian protection. Springfield's experience demonstrates how immigration can revitalize struggling communities—formerly boarded-up houses were renovated, employers expanded due to reliable workforce, and small businesses opened—yet also become politically weaponized through disinformation. The expiration of TPS for Haitians forces hundreds of thousands of people who came legally, established lives, and contributed economically to make an impossible choice between returning to a country in crisis or becoming undocumented. The case illustrates the human cost of immigration policy changes, showing how legal pathways can disappear even for people who followed the rules, and raises questions about whether the United States remains a safe haven for those fleeing persecution and disaster. Governor DeWine's warning that losing the Haitian workforce could jeopardize Springfield's economic upswing highlights the practical consequences beyond the humanitarian crisis.

What's next

The TPS end date for Haitians is February 3, with less than two weeks remaining at the time of the article
Haitian clients are banking on a federal judge ruling that they cannot be sent back to Haiti until conditions improve, since TPS was created to protect people who cannot safely return to their home countries
Many Haitians plan to leave for Mexico, Brazil, or Chile ahead of the TPS deadline
Others are preparing to slip into the shadows in the United States, unable to work or live freely
Margery is considering whether it's time to close up her assistance operation

Read full article from source: The 19th