Advocates for immigrants are still preparing for a possible surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, as the Trump administration appeals a judge’s ruling extending legal protections to Haitians. But Gov. Mike DeWine said the state has also been working on one potential concern – the kids who might be left behind.
DeWine said there have been around 1,300 children born to Haitians at Mercy Health, the primary hospital in Springfield, but there could be more. He said the state has worked on plans if temporary protected status ends and there’s an ICE surge, and there will kids of Haitians who are US citizens without parents around.
“They're all citizens. And it creates challenges with regards—it's down to the mom or dad to figure out what happens to the children," DeWine told reporters Thursday. “We've already started working through Children Services and reached out to other children services. I think we have about 40 of them, the counties around the state who will be there to help in any way that they can. So that's a concern.”
He said charitable groups are also working to get passports for those kids. But DeWine said the US Supreme Court could determine it can be removed and they would have to leave.
"What do I advise people in Springfield? I don't have great advice," DeWine said. "They need to just continue to follow what the law is today. Today they are legal, but that could be taken away by a court or that could be taken away by the administration in the future, and they have no control over that."
DeWine opposes Haitians losing TPS status, which puts him at odds with President Trump and U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), who supported the end of TPS for Haitians during his 2024 campaign. U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH), who represented the Dayton area near Springfield in the Ohio House and Senate earlier in his political career, hasn't publicly said whether he supports or opposes TPS status for Haitians.
