Ohio's GOP Governor Warns of 'Mistake' in Deporting Haitians to Their Home Country: 'Haiti Is Hell Today'

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 20: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine applauds as U.S. President Donald Trump arrives for a working breakfast with governors in the State Dining Room at the White House on February 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. Trump met with a group of governors, who are in town for the National Governors Association winter meeting, after he initially invited only Republican members of the group, causing a backlash from the bipartisan organization. (Credit: Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine criticized the Trump administration's plans to expand arrests and deportations of Haitian migrants, calling the effort "a mistake" and warning that deporting people to Haiti would mean sending them "back to hell." His comments came as ICE prepares operations targeting Haitian communities, including in Ohio, after more than 300,000 Haitians lost Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

In an interview with CBS News, the Republican governor said planned deportation operations would be "a blow to Springfield" and "a blow to the state of Ohio," arguing Haitian migrants have helped revitalize the city by filling labor shortages and opening businesses.