Faith leaders and community members gathered Sunday afternoon in the plaza in front of Springfield City Hall to rally for the Haitian community.
A crowd of around 300 held a potluck, sang songs and spoke about the impact arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have had on the city.
They called the event “Unshackle Springfield.”
Speakers from several different faiths and denominations spoke at the event, continuing to offer support to the Haitian community in Springfield.
“We understand that the United States has immigration laws. We understand the government has the responsibility to enforce those laws, but enforcement should never be treating innocent people as if they were less than human beings,” said Viles Dorsainvil, executive director of the Haitian Support Center.
“We do not make America great by shackling people. We are making America great by protecting people and treating people with respect and dignity,” Dorsainvil said.
ICE activity increased again after Temporary Protected Status for Haitian migrants expired at the end of July. Dorsainvil said two pastors are among those that were detained. He added many Haitian community members are so scared, they won’t leave their houses.
“Some are afraid to go to work. Some are afraid to take their children to school. Can you imagine that?” he said.
“Some are afraid to seek medical care or report a crime because they're worried that asking for help could put their families at risk," Dorsainvil said. "Just for a few moments imagine waking up every morning and wondering whether leaving your house could change your life forever.”
A spokesperson for the League of Haitian Pastors in Springfield, Pastor Bernadette Dor-Dominique, also spoke at the event. Dor-Dominique was previously a police officer in Haiti and first came to the United States in 2005 for training.
“I fell in love with the United States military. Admired the discipline, admired the leadership, admired the sense of duty. But most important, I admired the idea that justice. Justice should be for everyone,” she said. “I will continue to believe in the idea of this country. I believe in justice for all, and I believe in the dignity of every human being, and I believe that the law should protect people.”
The group also marched around the city hall seven times in what they called the “Jericho March,” referencing the biblical story of the fall of the city of Jericho.
The gathering ended with calls for ICE to stop targeting the Haitian community in Springfield and to release the pastors that were detained.