{"id":43468,"date":"2026-02-03T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/?p=43468"},"modified":"2026-02-03T01:33:25","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T06:33:25","slug":"yourvoice-students-raise-concern-over-possible-ice-operation-in-springfield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/tartan-news\/2026\/02\/03\/yourvoice-students-raise-concern-over-possible-ice-operation-in-springfield\/","title":{"rendered":"YourVoice: Students raise concern over possible ICE operation in Springfield"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On Monday, Feb 2. a federal judge blocked<\/a> the end of the Temporary Protected Status<\/a> of Haiti that was set to expire Tuesday, Feb. 3. In Springfield, approximately 10,000 – 15,000 Haitians were set to lose the protections that allowed them to stay in the U.S.. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the request to pause the end of Haiti’s TPS granted, the next legal steps are uncertain and Haitians in Springfield are hesitant to feel relief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the termination of Haiti’s TPS was blocked, Springfield City Schools Superintendent Bob Hill, Gov. DeWine<\/a> and state leadership discussed the upcoming event in a recent meeting. In which emergency management officials and others conferred about a federal immigration enforcement initiative that may begin sometime after the TPS deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A spokesperson for DeWine encouraged people to stay calm as everything is still hypothetical, but citizens are nonetheless preparing for an ICE operation in the city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

College students at both Sinclair and OSU shared their opinions on the possibility of an ICE operation in Springfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samantha Rader<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Samantha Rader<\/strong>. CONTRIBUTED<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Samantha Rader, a student at Sinclair College<\/a> majoring in business management and digital marketing, explained that she found the news shocking,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t imagine going to school and having to fear being taken away from your family… when all you\u2019re doing is getting your education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rader clarified that she was aware of ICE being present around the Dayton area already and argued that it is a violation of human rights to impede a child’s education. She feels that by targeting working families, the ICE program is proving that its intention was never to catch criminals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ava Sowry<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Ava Sowry. <\/strong>CONTRIBUTED<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Ava Sowry, an entomology major at Ohio State University, said that she was not surprised by the development. Sowry believes that by targeting the Haitian population in Springfield, ICE is threatening peoples\u2019 safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI believe it\u2019s indicative of a major problem… around immigration enforcement and the safety of school children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sowry explained that the recent notable controversies like those involving Renee Good and Alex Pretti serve as further evidence that ICE agents are abusing their power under the guise of justice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTheir humanity should mean more than any paper dictating where someone can and can\u2019t live… the violence being used against innocent people is despicable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Nick McGraw. <\/strong>CONTRIBUTED<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Nick McGraw<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nick McGraw is a student at Sinclair College majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He said that situation is especially worrying when the safety of children is involved. Considering previous incidents, McGraw feels that ICE has proven a lack of consideration for safety and fairness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn one hand, they don\u2019t have full citizenship, it\u2019s just an asylum program, but on the other, fully immigrating seems like an intentionally long and difficult process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lillian Klopf, reporter<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out more posts by the Clarion:<\/p>\n\n\n