Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, said Donald Trump would be making a mistake by deporting Haitians living in Ohio. His intervention highlighted a divide within the Republican Party over immigration, particularly because many Haitian migrants have become an important part of Springfield’s workforce and local economy.

Trump had called for Haitians in Springfield to be deported after false claims about migrants in the city became a national political issue. DeWine said the migrants had come legally under Temporary Protected Status and were working in factories and other local businesses; Springfield’s Haitian population has been estimated at roughly 15,000 to 20,000.