Haitians seek solidarity and resources as Trump launches immigration crackdown on Day 1

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Members of the Haitian community are expressing mixed feelings following President Donald Trump’s inauguration pledge to deport millions, declare a national emergency at the southern border and deploy troops there, reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy and reverse birthright citizenship.

“It feels like a nightmare becoming reality,” said Sybille Marie, a Florida resident who moved to the U.S. in 2010 after the earthquake. “I thought we had moved beyond this. Now, it feels like we’re being thrust back into fear.” Marie, who voted for Kamala Harris, added that her family was able to come to the U.S. under Biden’s TPS program.

In Springfield, Ohio, the epicenter of the anti-immigrant rhetoric seen during the presidential campaign, a few people interviewed said the threats feel more urgent.

“The situation does not look good for me,” said Michel, a Springfield, Ohio resident of one year, moments after the televised speech ended.

To some, Trump’s speech signals promises turning into action at an accelerated pace. Earlier that day, the government shut down CBP One, the app used to notify migrants when their legal entry is authorized. Days prior, aped spread that Trump had directed Homeland Security in Chicago starting Tuesday.

“This means this deportation is really starting,” said Philomène Philostin, who watched part of the speech from her audio recording studio in Springfield, inside Creation Market. 

Philistin’s business provides services to newcomers, including completing immigration paperwork. 

“I don’t see why they have to send all these people here back,” said the entrepreneur, a U.S. resident of 30 years. “The solution is to make the people already here legal and maybe stop any others from coming.”

Resources needed and sought 

For the Haitian community, these new developments bring a renewed sense of vulnerability, especially after years of fighting for inclusion and stability. 

As Natalie Francois, a teacher in Columbus put it, “This is not just politics—it’s about our safety, our future. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring.” She also shared that initially, she wasn’t planning to vote for either candidate because of their backgrounds, but ultimately went to the polls at the last minute due to concerns over immigration laws and the fear for her friends’ well-being.

Many are now seeking local resources to better understand how these policies will affect their families.

“We have to be prepared for whatever comes,” said a Haitian community leader in New York, who requested to remain anonymous due to concerns over their immigration status. 

“I’m concerned about my children, neighbors, and everyone in our community. We’re staying alert, making sure we stay informed, and seeking support wherever we can.” 

Advocates push back against stateleness threat, warn against fear

Immigrant rights advocates issued statements condemning the administration in the hours after the 30-minute inaugural address. Civil rights groups warned that the policy would stigmatize children, render many stateless and undermine the very foundations of American democracy.

The ACLU filed a lawsuit against Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship, describing the order as unconstitutional and a direct violation of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to all children born on U.S. soil. ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero called the move a “reckless repudiation of American values” that would create a permanent subclass of people born in the U.S., but denied full rights.

Guerline Jozef, executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, told The Haitian Times on Tuesday that her group has been doing outreach across the community, in Ohio, New York and California, to give the people information to prepare for this moment. 

“Now that this moment is here, we don’t want to let fear take over what we have to do,” Jozef said. “The trauma that the fear will cause may be more detrimental than what is actually done.”

On the threat to birthright citizenship, she said even though there’s already pushback on that, Haitians are particularly vulnerable. 

“Anytime there’s some policy change like this, it comes down on the Haitians first,” she said. “We understand this is not the first time we’re being attacked, to have our citizenship questioned in the U.S. It’s not just the moun Biden yo, the TPS people or the moun san papye. It’s all of us Haitians as a community.”

“They [the Trump Administration] are clever in doing based on this executive order ‘as of now’ because that would really highlight how far we have to go. What he’s doing is pushing back on people who are new. If, by God, this were to happen, we would have a subclass of people in the United States.”

Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, called for unity after describing the president’s actions as “weaponizing the federal government“ against immigrants.” 

“Today is a dark day in American history, with cruel and dangerous consequences for our immigrant communities, and everyone who calls America home,” Awawdeh said. “While some of these executive actions will be litigated in court, this is little solace to immigrant families being targeted, racially profiled, vulnerable to detention, deportation, or much worse.

The post Haitians seek solidarity and resources as Trump launches immigration crackdown on Day 1 appeared first on The Haitian Times.

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Haitians seek solidarity and resources as Trump launches immigration crackdown on Day 1 was first posted on January 21, 2025 at 12:11 pm.