With Rocher’s TPS nearing expiration, Verhoff said Columbus Grove Schools are working with attorneys to sponsor Rocher for an H1-B visa, exploring ways he could serve multiple districts.
“Marc’s services are so needed,” the superintendent said. In fact, the need for translating services could become more prevalent.
“The increase of Haitians in the area has been significant. It’s gone from a handful to thousands in a very short period of time,” said Katie Sielschott, director of development at Connecting Borders, a local nonprofit founded in 2024 to address the influx of immigrants to the area. The rise of immigrants in northwest Ohio aligns with increased business investment and an aging local workforce.
“The employers that we work closely with understand the value that these immigrants bring to their companies,” Sielschott said.
Last Friday, Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said in nearby Springfield that the state is preparing for potential mass layoffs of immigrant workers as a result of TPS ending. He said “it’s not going to be good” for workers or employers.
Beyond economic measures, Burkey said church attendance from the Haitian congregation has dropped significantly in the last few months. Many feel so discouraged by the probable end to their legal status in the country, that they cannot muster the energy to worship in church, he said. Regardless, he said he will keep welcoming immigrants.
“I believe that sanctuary is actually an important value,” Burkey said.