“Enforcement assessed and cleared the premises out of an abundance of caution,” Springfield city spokesperson Karen Graves said in reference to the two churches. “At this time, there is no substantiated threat.”
Rabbi Cary Kozberg confirmed the threat at Temple Sholom.
St. John Missionary Baptist Church last week was the gathering place for hundreds of faith leaders and supporters advocating for the extension of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians.
Emailed bomb threats were sent Monday to several downtown Springfield public offices and the Springfield City School District that referenced pipe bombs and said Haitian immigrants should be gone from the city, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said at a press conference Monday.
Those threats led to road closures downtown and early dismissal for all Springfield City School District students on Monday. All district buildings are now subject to law enforcement sweeps before and after school, the district announced Monday.
A second round of bomb threats was sent to Clark State College, Wittenberg University and the Clark County Department of Job and Family Services on Tuesday.
Clark County Sheriff Chris Clark said in a statement Monday that threats appeared to originate from overseas, which is similar to what transpired in 2024.
The Ohio Department of Public Safety has made available its retractable watchtowers to the city, Mayor Rob Rue told the News-Sun.
These towers were used in various locations in Springfield in late 2024 after a slew of bomb threats several Springfield government offices, schools, businesses and people received after Springfield was thrust into the national spotlight when baseless rumors that Haitians were eating pets went viral.
DIG INTO OUR HAITIAN COVERAGE
Clark County Sheriff’s Office to ‘maintain the peace’ as TPS ends, will not enforce immigration laws
WATCH: Haitian restaurant in Springfield struggles as federal protections near expiration
• What’s coming?: After some initially warned of an anticipated 30-day ICE surge following the end of TPS, school and state officials stressed they have had no direct communication with the feds about potential enforcement actions, but they are preparing for the possibility.
• A community in fear: Reporter Cornelius Frolik traveled the streets of Springfield with a translator and spoke to more than a dozen Haitian people living and working in the Springfield area. Most of them expressed feelings of uncertainty and dread about the TPS cancellation.
• Lawsuits: Area Haitians on TPS are pinning their hopes on a couple of lawsuits that challenge the legality of the federal government’s decision to cancel the TPS designation for Haiti. Here are the details on those lawsuits, including one involving a Springfield man.
• Keket: Our reporters sat down with a local restaurant owner concerned that immigration enforcement fears could close her business. Her compelling personal story is captured in writing and video here.
• Residents prepare: More than 80 people took part in an educational event at Zion Hill Baptist Church in Springfield Thursday evening, learning about their rights and those of their neighbors regardless of immigration status.
• Law enforcement: Local law enforcement officials say they will work to “maintain the peace” amid any ICE surge, but they won’t enforce federal immigration law.
• City leaders: The Springfield City Commission unanimously passed a resolution asking federal immigration agents to follow local rules when conducting enforcement activities.
• Politicians react: Our statehouse reporter Avery Kreemer reached out to politicians who represent Dayton and Springfield at the state and national level about their views on ending TPS and an ICE surge. Read that story here.
• How we got here: We have been reporting on the growth of the Haitian population in Springfield and its effect on the community for years. This story from the archive explains why so many Haitians relocated to Springfield, Ohio.
• Community survey: In addition to reporters interviewing residents on the street, we created an online survey to gather community perspective. I’ll have a summary of responses in an upcoming story.
• Dayton action: Several Dayton restaurants and other businesses closed Friday and hundreds of people gathered in front of U.S. Rep. Mike Turner’s Dayton office as part of the nationwide protest of ICE operations.
• Springfield City Hall, school, county hit by threats tied to Haitian immigration concerns
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