In Springfield, many Haitians say their anxiety is lessening in the wake of a federal judge’s ruling. Monday night, a judge allowed Temporary Protected Status to continue for Haitians while a lawsuit plays out.
There are an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Haitian residents living in the Springfield area, many of whom are living under Temporary Protected Status. That includes Viles Dorsainvil, co-founder of Springfield's Haitian Support Center.
"It's not perfect, but it gives some relief," Dorsainvil said, describing the ruling by U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes.
The ruling came just as Temporary Protected Status was set to expire at the end of the day Feb. 3.
The Department of Homeland Security wants to end TPS for the island nation, claiming it’s now safe for people to return.
But according to Dorsainvil, Haiti has a weak interim government, an unstable economy and dangerous gangs running the major cities.
He believed if he returned, "there is a 95% (chance) that I would be kidnapped or tortured for money that I don't have because they would see me on social media and on TV, believing maybe that I have money, so I don't want that to happen."
"I know that today, if I go on the street, and I'm picked up by an ICE, there is legal ground for my release," Dorsainvil said. "That's all that it (Judge Reyes' ruling) means. Otherwise, I would not even go out today, I would not even leave my house."
Dorsainvil is also a plaintiff named in the national lawsuit at the center of Reyes' ruling. The National TPS Alliance along with the ACLU are suing President Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on behalf of Haiti and Venezuela.
The suit alleges the Department of Homeland violated proper procedures and acted with racial animus in terminating TPS for Haiti. It also states conditions in Haiti remain unsafe and the United States failed to justify terminating TPS for Haiti.
Meanwhile, Dorsainvil said this isn’t a final victory. He’s urging all Haitian who are under TPS to continue making plans for their U.S. born children and property in case they’re deported.
"As a matter of fact, they have to continue to plan for their lives or for the kids to continue the sign power of attorney or whatever because the pause is just a pause," Dorsainvil said. "It's not like a total victory. That ruling just gives a little bit of relief."
The Trump administration can now appeal Judge Reyes’ decision.
