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Haitian marchers complete 40-mile trek to Columbus demanding action from state leaders
Read the full articleHaitian immigrants fitted with ankle monitors walked more than 40 miles across Ohio, concluding the trek in Columbus with a rally at West Bank Park. Organizers presented four demands to state leaders, including ending the ankle monitor program and establishing permanent protections.
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Haitian community marches to Columbus to raise awareness
Supporting evidence (1)
A journey that lasted over four days and 40 miles came to a close in Columbus as members of the Haitian community in Springfield completed a walk to Columbus, hoping to make their voices heard and bring change to their community, according to reporting from NBC4.
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A journey that lasted over four days and 40 miles came to a close in Columbus earlier today. Members of the Haitian community in Springfield completed a walk to Columbus, hoping to make their voices heard and bring change to their community.
Supporting evidence (5)
Haitian residents, faith leaders, and immigrant advocates kicked off a four-day pilgrimage from Springfield to Columbus, calling for an end to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement practices harming families and spreading fear throughout the community, according to The Haitian Times.
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Haitian residents, faith leaders and immigrant advocates kicked off a four-day pilgrimage from Springfield to Columbus Wednesday, calling for an end to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) practices harming families and spreading fear throughout the community.
Participants paused each evening to stay overnight at a church before resuming the walk during the daytime, according to The Haitian Times.
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Each day, they will stop overnight at a church, then resume the walk during the daytime.
Covering more than 40 miles, some Haitians fitted with ankle monitors participated to emphasize the humiliating feel of the ICE tactic, according to The Haitian Times.
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Covering more than 40 miles, according to organizers, some Haitians fitted with the ankle monitors are participating to emphasize the “humiliating” feel of the ICE tactic.
A June Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for the administration to end TPS on July 27, invalidating legal authorization and work permits for an estimated 350,000 Haitians across the country, The Haitian Times reported.
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The pilgrimage comes amid heightened uncertainty following the termination of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation. A June Supreme Court ruling that cleared the way for the administration to end TPS in July 27 has invalidated the legal status of an estimated 350,000 Haitians and their work permits. In Springfield, some former TPS holders were required to surrender their passports and wear ankle monitors after immigration check-ins.
In Springfield, some former TPS holders were required to surrender their passports and wear ankle monitors following immigration check-ins, according to The Haitian Times.
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The pilgrimage comes amid heightened uncertainty following the termination of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation. A June Supreme Court ruling that cleared the way for the administration to end TPS in July 27 has invalidated the legal status of an estimated 350,000 Haitians and their work permits. In Springfield, some former TPS holders were required to surrender their passports and wear ankle monitors after immigration check-ins.
Supporting evidence (5)
The procession advanced 10 to 12 miles per day accompanied by patrol car escorts, a medic, and a support vehicle, WYSO reported.
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They’ll march 10-12 miles per day with city or county law enforcement officers escorting them in patrol cars. They also have a medic and a support vehicle. They expect to arrive in Columbus on Saturday, culminating with a rally at the capitol.
Rev. Reginald Silencieux of the League of Haitian Pastors of Springfield reminded the group of the campaign to Unshackle Springfield, urging the Department of Homeland Security to stop using GPS ankle monitors on Haitian immigrants, according to WYSO.
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Rev. Reginald Silencieux is with the League of Haitian Pastors of Springfield. Through an interpreter, he reminded the group of the campaign to Unshackle Springfield, urging the Department of Homeland Security to stop using GPS ankle monitors on Haitian immigrants."Every time I see this image, it shows me the power of a unity. Unity is a force that breaks all chains," Silencieux said.
Michael Louise, who is with the Haitian chapter of Undivided and settled in Springfield in 2021 under TPS because Haiti was increasingly unsafe, said the Haitian community lives in fear and uncertainty, according to WYSO.
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Michael Louise is with the Haitian chapter of Undivided. She settled in Springfield in 2021 under TPS because Haiti was increasingly unsafe. But now Louise questions the future for Haitian immigrants living in the U.S."The Haitian community, they still live in fear and uncertainty, because they don't know what's next, what can happen after one month. After today. Imagine — it's like they just see every immigrant as a case, as a number, without dignity," Louise said.Even so, Louise remains optimistic. "I'm going to walk, for me it's like an obligation to speak up. We need to come together and fight for freedom."
Rev. Michael Woolf, who leads the Lake Street Church of Evanston in Illinois, said he wanted to stand in solidarity with the Haitian community and support dignity, adding that trying to remove them from communities hurts the country, according to WYSO.
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Rev. Michael Woolf leads the Lake Street Church of Evanston in Illinois. He sees this march as an extension of his ongoing activism to close the Broadview ICE Detention Center outside of Chicago."I wanted to stand in solidarity with the Haitian community and really take their leadership and try to support dignity for that community and for everybody," Woolf said. "It's an evil thing to do, to try to remove them from those communities. It hurts us. We're hurting ourselves as a country."
Wislande Hensley, a 28-year-old member of the Springfield Haitian chapter of Undivided who legally came to the United States as a TPS holder and settled in Springfield in 2020, said the group wants state politicians to know that community members are resilient and that their voices matter, according to WYSO.
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Wislande Hensley, 28, is a member of the Springfield Haitian chapter of Undivided. She said they want state politicians to understand a simple idea."We are resilient, even if people that are in power try to push us to the side," Hensley said. "We are resilient, we have faith, and we know that our voices matter."Hensley legally came to the United States as a TPS holder and settled in Springfield in 2020.
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A closing rally in Columbus was scheduled for 1 p.m. at West Bank Park, 303 W Main St, according to Dayton 24/7 Now.
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A closing rally in Columbus will be held at 1 p.m. at West Bank Park, 303 W Main St, Columbus, OH.
As reported by Dayton 24/7 Now, the platform asks state leaders for four things: ending the Immigration Customs and Enforcement ankle monitoring program, the release of Haitian detainees, removing the ICE presence out of Springfield, and a permanent protective status for all Haitian people in the United States.
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The goal is to bring awareness of what the Haitian community is going through with deportation, and asking state leaders for four things. First, ending the Immigration Customs and Enforcement ankle monitoring program then, the release of Haitian detainees, followed by removing the ICE presence out of Springfield and finally, a permanent protective status for all Haitian people in the United States.
On the first night of the pilgrimage, Champion City Church in Springfield held a community worship service featuring formerly detained pastor Gilbert Joubert Adrien and local residents who discussed resilience, according to Dayton 24/7 Now.
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A community worship service was held Wednesday night at Champion City Church in Springfield. The worship service featured formerly detained pastor and community leader Gilbert Joubert Adrien, along with other members of the local Haitian community, who discussed Haitian resilience amid repeated attacks from the Trump administration.
Springfield resident Elijah Richard emphasized that Haitian community members have worked, raised families, and invested in the city, telling Dayton 24/7 Now that residents expected the same protection in return.
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For Elijah Richard he says Haitian residents have worked, raised families, and invested in Springfield. He says he expected the Haitian community to be protected in return.
Haitians, supporters march from Springfield to Columbus in show of solidarity
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The pilgrimage came amid concerns about immigration enforcement and the possibility that Haitians could be forced to return to a country some say is unsafe, according to 10TV.
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The pilgrimage comes amid concerns about immigration enforcement and the possibility that Haitians could be forced to return to a country some say is unsafe.