Former President Donald Trump is vowing to eliminate Temporary Protected Status and deport Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, an escalation of rhetoric against a community his campaign has attacked with misinformation for weeks.
“I would absolutely revoke it and bring them back to their country.” Trump told NewsNation.
The Republican presidential candidate’s attack on immigrants in Springfield has been at the forefront of his campaign in recent weeks, including his now infamous debate line against Vice President Kamala Harris, where he accused immigrants of eating their neighbors’ pets. an unfounded claim. that, however, led to bomb threats against Springfield schools. Trump’s running mate, Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance, reposted the claims on social media ahead of the debate.
In his interview with NewsNation, Trump said that the influx of immigrants into the community “just doesn’t work” and “you have to get people out; “We cannot destroy our country.” About 15,000 Haitian immigrants have moved to Springfield in recent years, according to the Associated Press.
Temporary Protected Status allows immigrants to remain in the US when it is not safe to return to their countries. In many cases, countries are experiencing armed conflict, but environmental disasters and other conditions can also lead to TPS being granted. There are currently 16 countries whose citizens have TPS in the U.S. As of March 31, there were more than 860,000 people in the U.S. with temporary status. according to the American Immigration Council.
Despite continued criticism for their rhetoric surrounding immigrants in Springfield, Vance and Trump have continued to redouble their efforts. “I will continue to talk about what immigrants have done to Springfield, Ohio, and what Kamala Harris’ open border has done to Springfield, Ohio,” Vance said in mid-September on “State of the Union.” from CNN. “
Some of Trump’s allies believe his continued focus on Springfield has caused his campaign to lose some focus. And Harris has said that Trump’s rhetoric against immigrants “has to stop.”
“Regardless of someone’s background, their race, their gender, their geographic location, I know that people are deeply concerned about what is happening to that community in Springfield, Ohio, and this has to stop,” Harris said in a interview with the National Association of Black Journalists in September.