The Department of Homeland Security has begun summoning hundreds of Haitian immigrants in Ohio for mandatory in-person check-ins with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, where officials have fitted some individuals with ankle monitors following the Supreme Court’s June decision allowing termination of their Temporary Protected Status.

Mandatory ICE Check-Ins Begin in Ohio

Immigration advocates report that Haitian nationals who previously held Temporary Protected Status have received official Department of Homeland Security call-in letters requiring them to appear at ICE offices. Steve Foster, immigration policy coordinator for the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, confirmed that recipients include Haitians regardless of whether they have pending asylum claims. Upon arrival at ICE facilities, some individuals received ankle monitors and scheduled court appearances for future deportation proceedings.

Viles Dorsainvil, executive director of a Haitian support organization in Springfield, Ohio, described his group’s efforts to assist community members navigating the mandatory appointments. His organization helps individuals prepare for and attend these ICE check-ins, where officials conduct interviews before determining whether to attach electronic monitoring devices. The process has created widespread uncertainty throughout Ohio’s Haitian immigrant community.

Supreme Court Ends Decades-Long Protection

The Supreme Court ruled in June that the Trump administration possessed legal authority to terminate Temporary Protected Status for approximately 350,000 Haitian nationals. The decision represents a major component of the administration’s broader immigration enforcement strategy. TPS, established under the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, grants work authorization and deportation protection when foreign countries face armed conflict, natural disasters, or extraordinary temporary conditions making return unsafe.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson defended the actions, stating that Temporary Protected Status functions exactly as its name suggests—as a temporary measure. The official added that TPS has operated as an unofficial amnesty program despite Congress never intending permanent residency. The agency characterized the current enforcement as closing time for individuals whose temporary protections have expired.

Work Permits Revoked As Anxiety Spreads

Dorsainvil reported that some former TPS holders have already lost their employment authorization, though individuals with pending asylum cases retain valid work permits during adjudication. The community faces mounting fear and confusion about legal options and future prospects. Many families who built lives in America over years or decades now confront potential deportation to Haiti, a nation experiencing ongoing political instability and violence. The situation has created significant economic disruption as employers lose workers and families lose income sources.