Ohio's GOP governor calls Trump's plans to deport Haitians a "mistake": "You'd be sending people … back to hell" - CBS News

What the report says

CBS News reported that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, criticized the Trump administration’s plan to increase arrests and deportations of Haitian migrants, calling it a “mistake.” Speaking Monday in Columbus, DeWine said removing Haitian workers could hurt Springfield and the wider Ohio economy, noting that many Haitians have taken jobs and started businesses in a city that has faced economic challenges.

The issue comes as more than 300,000 Haitians are expected to lose Temporary Protected Status, a federal humanitarian designation that shields eligible migrants from deportation and permits them to work. CBS News reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has prepared plans for a deportation operation that could begin as soon as this week and may include Ohio communities with significant Haitian populations.

DeWine also raised concerns about conditions in Haiti, citing gang violence, political instability and the U.S. State Department’s warning against travel there. CBS News quoted him as saying deportations would send people “back to hell,” and he predicted many Haitians would try to relocate elsewhere rather than return to Haiti.

Haiti has had Temporary Protected Status since a devastating 2010 earthquake, with renewals tied to ongoing insecurity and instability. The Department of Homeland Security has argued the designation was intended to be temporary and says conditions have improved enough for returns, while critics have challenged the termination in court. The Supreme Court recently allowed the administration to proceed with ending TPS for Haiti and Syria. DeWine has previously disputed unsupported claims made by President Trump during the 2024 campaign about Haitian migrants in Springfield, while acknowledging local strains from rapid population growth.