Springfield Haitians in ICE custody following immigration enforcement | Local

Several Haitians from Springfield are in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in the Butler County Jail following an apparent increase in enforcement after the official end of temporary protected status for Haiti.

There were numerous reports from Springfield residents of a caravan of vehicles believed to be conducting immigration enforcement in parts of the city in recent days. The Springfield News-Sun could not independently verify whether these activities were ICE-related.

“Every day, DHS is conducting law enforcement activities across the country to keep Americans safe. DHS does not discuss ongoing or future operations,” said a Homeland Security spokesperson in response to questions from this news outlet.

Local activists say three men were apprehended by ICE while on their way home to Springfield from work at the same company in Troy.

The three men — Jn Bernard Breus, Johny Denis and Jobner Myrtil — were booked into the Butler County Jail Aug. 7, according to jail records. The only listed charge is “HOLD FOR ICE.”

The families contacted the Haitian community Help and Support Center for help and work is being done to obtain legal representation.

Myrtil is facing misdemeanor charges of speeding, driving under suspension and having improper window tint, according to Clark County Municipal Court records.

A German Twp. police report says Myrtil’s vehicle was pulled over traveling 71 mph in a 55 mph zone on Troy Road. The officer’s report says the window tint was tested and found to be too dark and Myrtil’s license was found to be suspended. ICE was contacted during the traffic stop, and took custody of Myrtil and his two passengers at the German Twp. police station, the report says.

There have been several recent ICE arrests involving Haitians from Springfield, records show.

The News-Sun cross-referenced booking data from the Butler County Jail — the closest ICE detention facility to Springfield — and ICE’s detainer locator to identify 10 people on ICE holds with Haiti as a listed birthplace who were booked into the jail since the beginning of July.

Eight of those people appear to have Springfield addresses, according to a LexisNexis background search. The other two appear to live in Columbus and Lima.

Reporters visited the Springfield addresses. Residents and neighbors were unavailable or unwilling to talk. One neighbor, who declined to speak on the record, praised all the Haitians who live around him for their work ethic. He said it is a shame to see them targeted after coming to the area for a better life.

Nine of the 10 Haitians identified at the Butler County Jail were booked following the federal judge’s order on Aug. 5 formally lifting a stay on the revocation of TPS for Haitians — giving the Trump administration the green light to arrest and deport Haitians previously protected by TPS.

“Temporary Protected Status is exactly that — temporary. For too long, TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program despite Congress never intending it to be permanent,” the statement from DHS says.

Jail records don’t list any charges for the 10 men other than “HOLD FOR ICE.” They say two were arrested in Springfield but don’t identify the location for others.

DHS did not answer questions about how many people the agency has arrested in Springfield, or their nationality or immigration status.

“What we would say now is it’s closing time which means you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here. The good news is it’s not too late to get a $2,600 check and a free flight home,” the agency’s statement says.

It’s unclear how many people in the Springfield area are vulnerable to immigration enforcement. The region is home to an estimated 10,000 — 15,000 Haitians with a variety of immigration statuses.

Several immigrants now in Butler County Jail after crackdown.