Immigration attorneys in Ohio say Haitian nationals who lost their Temporary Protected Status are now being fitted with GPS tracking devices rather than being locked up when they report to authorities. Lawyers representing these individuals describe a process where ICE requires in-person appearances, and at those meetings, people are equipped with ankle bracelets that monitor their movements while their immigration cases remain unresolved—including potential asylum bids.
A senior official from the Department of Homeland Security explained that the choice to use tracking devices stems from practical constraints: there simply aren't enough beds in detention centers to accommodate the more than 300,000 Haitians whose protected status ended following a June Supreme Court ruling. Currently, ICE facilities nationwide hold roughly 65,000 immigrants, and NBC News has reported that the agency is actively seeking to expand its detention capacity.
Katie Kersh, who practices immigration law at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality in Ohio, said she initially braced for widespread arrests and prolonged confinement. What actually happened, she said, is that several of her clients got notices from ICE ordering them to show up in person. When they complied, they were taken into custody briefly but not held long-term. "They all have these ankle monitors and they're not allowed to travel outside of a 75-mile radius from their home," Kersh said.
When asked about the monitoring program, DHS declined to provide details. An agency spokesperson issued an emailed response saying DHS does not comment on ongoing or future operations. No further elaboration on the agency's position is given in the report.
This development marks another potential flashpoint between DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and President Donald Trump. Mullin, who assumed his role in March, already drew the president's criticism last month when he ordered a pause on ICE vehicle pursuits following fatal shootings. According to NBC News, both a senior administration official and a DHS official have noted rising friction between the White House and Mullin, although there is no indication Trump is planning to remove him.
The Temporary Protected Status program, established by Congress as a humanitarian measure, grants temporary residency and work authorization to individuals fleeing war, natural disasters, or other severe conditions. The Supreme Court's June decision permitted the Trump administration to terminate protections for over 300,000 Haitians who arrived following the 2010 earthquake, as well as more than 50,000 Syrians who fled the civil war there. Earlier administrations and lower courts had previously ruled that conditions in both nations remained too dangerous to justify lifting the protections.
The ruling has left many employers and Haitian workers uncertain about their obligations, with questions lingering about work attendance and scheduling.
According to the senior DHS official, detaining all 300,000-plus Haitians is not feasible. The use of ankle monitors and similar tracking technology enables immigrants to remain in their communities while awaiting court decisions. NBC News reports that this approach was expanded during the Biden administration, and that Stephen Miller, an architect of Trump's immigration agenda, has favored a detention-first strategy.
Trump has long targeted Haitian immigrants in his rhetoric. During the 2024 campaign, he and running mate JD Vance amplified baseless social media claims that a Haitian immigrant in Springfield, Ohio, had killed and eaten a cat. The original Facebook post was later discredited, but the episode energized immigration hard-liners who backed Trump at the polls.