PHOTOS: Springfield Haitians shown support at faith event

Faith leaders praise and sing along to Elevation Worship's "Trust in God" during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

Faith leaders praise and sing along to Elevation Worship's "Trust in God" during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF
Local News
Feb 3, 2026
X

St. John Missionary Baptist Church was over capacity as hundreds supported Springfield’s Haitian community while advocating for the extension of Temporary Protected Status Monday morning.

The event was held less than 48 hours before TPS was expected to expire for potentially thousands of Springfield-area Haitians, putting their ability to legally live and work in the U.S. at risk. A federal judge issued a ruling Monday blocking the end of TPS.

An audience member films the estimated 1,200 attendees of Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. The venue was over capacity as pastors, faith leaders and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status, which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

An audience member films the estimated 1,200 attendees of Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. The venue was over capacity as pastors, faith leaders and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status, which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Audience members hold their hands up in prayer during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors, faith leaders and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status, which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

An audience member films the estimated 1,200 attendees of Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. The venue was over capacity as pastors, faith leaders and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status, which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Faith leaders praise and sing along to music during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Audience members comfort each other during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors, faith leaders and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Faith leaders praise and sing along to Elevation Worship's "Trust in God" during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Pastor Jose Salas, front, hugs Viles Dorsainvil, co-founder and executive director of the Haitian Community Help & Support Center, during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors, faith leaders and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Springfield NAACP President Denise Williams, back left, comforts, Guerline Jozef, founder of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, as music plays during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status, which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Viles Dorsainvil, co-founder and executive director of the Haitian Community Help & Support Center, speaks during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors, faith leaders and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Geurline Jozef, founder of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, speaks during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Geurline Jozef, founder of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, speaks during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Springfield NAACP President Denise Williams, left, comforts, Geurline Jozef, founder of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, as music plays during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Pastor Jose Salas, of Iglesia Hispana Emanuel, left, hugs Geurline Jozef, founder of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors, faith leaders and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Faith leaders praise and sing along to music during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

A faith leader speaks during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Pastor Carl Ruby speaks during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors, faith leaders and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status, which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Faith leaders praise and sing along to music during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status, which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Faith leaders praise and sing along to Elevation Worship's "Trust in God" during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

Audience members sing along to praise songs during Here We Stand: Faith Leaders for Immigration Justice & Family Unity at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Springfield. Pastors, faith leaders and community members gathered to pray and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status which is scheduled to expire on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

icon to expand image

In Other News
1
Data centers driving up regional electric costs, study finds
2
‘Life-changing decision’: Data center growth fuels fears in local...
3
Video: Passions run high as local town grapples with data center fears
4
Data centers get big tax breaks. Do they create jobs?
5
Ohio lawmakers show bipartisan support for data center legislation