ICE Imposes Dehumanizing Ankle Monitors on Haitian TPS Holders in Ohio After Program Termination
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After the cruel termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals, ICE has forced several Ohio residents to wear degrading ankle monitors as they await deportation, highlighting the inhumane treatment of vulnerable immigrants.
ICE officials in Ohio have summoned Haitian immigrants who previously held Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to immigration offices, where many were fitted with humiliating ankle monitoring devices and subjected to draconian restrictions, barring them from traveling more than 75 miles from their homes. This punitive move follows a Supreme Court ruling in June that enabled the administration to strip TPS from roughly 350,000 Haitians nationwide, devastating an estimated 15,000 residents in the Springfield area and tearing at the fabric of immigrant communities.
Advocacy groups have condemned the coercive tactics, reporting that those called in were forced to choose between the indignity of wearing monitors or facing immediate removal. One resident, Philbert Viaud, who has been seeking asylum for four years, was seen shackled with a monitor after an ICE appointment in suburban Cincinnati and ordered to return for a follow-up in two weeks. Another individual, Sony Prenice, recounted being offered a paltry $2,600 payment and a free flight home as a supposed 'choice' for deportation.
"It is so humiliating to see parents, fathers and mothers, who have not been committing any crime now with some type of ankle bracelets on their feet," said Viles Dorsainvil, executive director of the Haitian Community Help and Support Center in Springfield, denouncing the criminalization of innocent people.
Letters sent to TPS holders demand recipients bring all immigration documents to an ICE office within 30 days and sign and return the notice if they cannot attend, further tightening the noose on these families. A Homeland Security spokesperson refused to comment on the specifics, coldly stating that TPS is “temporary” and emphasizing the meager payment and travel assistance for those who submit to deportation.
The TPS program, created by Congress in 1990 to protect those fleeing war, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions, has been a lifeline for Haitians since the 2010 earthquake. Federal courts previously blocked attempts to end the program, citing procedural flaws and evidence of discriminatory intent. The recent termination has sparked outrage among lawmakers and community leaders, who warn of the devastating impact on families, employers, and the broader immigrant population, underscoring the urgent need for humane immigration reform.