SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Authorities were responding Monday to bomb threats sent to government offices in Clark County as concerns escalated over immigration enforcement and the future of legal protections for Haitian immigrants, Gov. Mike DeWine said.
The threats, which referenced pipe bombs and included messages targeting Haitian immigrants, prompted law enforcement to search multiple locations in Springfield, DeWine said. Suspicious packages were located outside the municipal court building and the city’s public safety complex, leading officials to block off parts of downtown as a precaution.
Additional duffel bags were also found at two other locations in the city, DeWine said. Officials did not immediately report any injuries or confirmed explosive devices.
In response to the threats and heightened security concerns, the Springfield City School District dismissed students early Monday, officials said.
The incidents occurred as tensions have increased in the community over the potential end of Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for Haitian immigrants, a designation that allows individuals from Haiti to live and work legally in the United States due to conditions in their home country.
A federal judge has recently directed the administration of President Donald Trump to explain whether immigration enforcement efforts have been intensified in Springfield. The judge ordered the Department of Homeland Security to submit a sworn statement from a senior official by 10 a.m. Tuesday detailing any steps taken in connection with the possible expiration of Haitian TPS protections.
The administration has appealed that order to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The appeals court has given the plaintiffs who filed the original lawsuit until Feb. 16 to respond to a request to pause the lower court’s ruling while the appeal is considered.
Local, state and federal agencies continued investigating the threats Monday as officials emphasized public safety and urged residents to report suspicious activity.