Faith Leaders and Community Members to Gather at Springfield City Hall for "Unshackle Springfield" Potluck and Public Witness
Sunday event brings together interfaith coalition demanding an end to ICE enforcement terrorizing the Haitian-American community
On Sunday, August 30, at noon ET, faith leaders and community members will gather at Springfield City Hall Plaza for "Unshackle Springfield," a potluck meal and public witness calling attention to the devastating human toll of immigration enforcement on Springfield's Haitian-American community.
The event runs from 12-2pm PM at Springfield City Hall Plaza, 20 South Limestone Street. Attendees will share a communal meal from 12-1 PM, followed by a public witness on the plaza from 1-2 PM. Watch Instagram accounts for G92 and Ohio Immigrant Alliance for live video snapshots.
Springfield has become ground zero for the collision between federal immigration policy and a community that had been building new lives, filling jobs, and strengthening a city that was losing population. Since the Trump administration terminated Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, Springfield's Haitian-American residents — once welcomed by employers and neighbors — have been thrust into an impossible situation: unable to work legally, unable to drive, and facing the constant threat of detention and deportation to a country the U.S. State Department itself warns Americans not to visit due to kidnapping, murder, and gang violence.
This is not a standard rally. Unshackle Springfield is organized as a shared meal — breaking bread together — followed by a public faith witness. The format reflects how the community has actually been responding: through mutual support, through churches, and through showing up for one another.
EVENT DETAILS
What: Unshackle Springfield Potluck and Faith Witness
When: Sunday, August 30, 2026, 12-2pm ET
Where: Springfield City Hall Plaza, 20 South Limestone Street, Springfield, OH 45502
Format: Shared meal (12–1 PM), public witness (1–2 PM) — attendees are encouraged to bring food to share and non-alcoholic beverages if they are able to, but all are welcome regardless