Federal officials moved quickly this week to challenge a court ruling that keeps Temporary Protected Status in place for thousands of Haitian immigrants across the country, including tens of thousands in Ohio. The administration of Donald Trump, along with the Department of Homeland Security, filed a notice of appeal on February 5 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The filing seeks to overturn a decision that blocked the termination of TPS protections for Haitians that were set to expire on February 3.
The appeal follows a February 2 ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes, who stopped the administration from ending the TPS designation for Haiti. Her decision is part of an ongoing lawsuit challenging the effort to cancel the protections. Reyes ruled that the termination order was “null, void, and of no legal effect.”
TPS allows immigrants from designated countries to live and work legally in the United States when conditions such as armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary crises make returning home unsafe. Haiti has remained under TPS for years due to ongoing instability.
An estimated 350,000 Haitian immigrants nationwide are protected under TPS. In Ohio, about 15,000 Haitians live in Springfield, with another estimated 30,000 residing throughout central Ohio. The looming expiration date had fueled anxiety in those communities, especially fears of increased immigration enforcement.
Alongside the appeal, government attorneys also asked Reyes to pause her order and requested a decision by noon on February 9. Attorneys representing Haitian immigrants pushed back, arguing the expedited request leaves insufficient time to respond and lacks legal justification. They noted that courts have repeatedly extended TPS over the past 18 months, eliminating any claim of an emergency.
Even with the court’s temporary block, many Haitians in Springfield say the uncertainty remains. A decision from the D.C. Circuit could eventually open the door to review by the U.S. Supreme Court, extending a legal fight that continues to shape the future of Haitian immigrants across the country.
