State Rep. Click posts fake photo of ICE agents in Springfield

As tension mounts with temporary visas expiring, many Haitians now face deportation

Feb 01, 2026

VICKERY — As the clock runs out for thousands of Haitian residents in Ohio, a local lawmaker is using artificial intelligence to rewrite the narrative on the ground.

On Sunday, State Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery) shared a fake photo on the Ohio Conservatives PAC Facebook page. The image depicts a sanitized, friendly scene: unmasked ICE agents chatting with Springfield locals over coffee at a welcome table, flanked by signs reading “THANK YOU ICE!” and “WE ❤️ OUR ICE.”

The reality outside the digital frame is far more volatile.

Manufactured consent

“Locals in Springfield, Ohio are THRILLED to welcome ICE!” Click’s post claimed, citing concerns over traffic accidents and unlicensed drivers. “Unlike Minnesota, Springfield welcomes ICE with open arms!”

Click, a Baptist pastor in Fremont, did not immediately respond to a series of questions regarding the use of a fabricated image. The choice to depict agents as unmasked and approachable appears to be a direct response to recent national trauma. In Minneapolis last month, federal agents—often heavily armed and masked—were involved in the separate, unprovoked killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

While the administration maintains that those agents cannot be charged, video evidence has largely contradicted official claims that the victims were at fault. By posting an AI-generated scene of “coffee and conversation,” Click is projecting a peace that doesn’t exist in the shadow of these tactical teams.

In a comment at the post after he was asked about it, Click said it wasn’t his photo.

“I’m not Ohio Conservatives PAC. You Would have to ask them (if it’s AI generated). It may be. I think most people understand that,” he said. “I doubt it was meant to be understood as a real pic.”

February 3 cliff

The timing of the post is no coincidence. Tuesday, February 3, the administration’s termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) visa program officially takes effect.

For the 10,000 to 15,000 Haitians in Springfield—many of whom were recruited by local employers to revitalize the town’s workforce—the loss of TPS means that on Tuesday, they will transition from contributing community members to targets for deportation.

House divided: DeWine vs. Washington

The looming arrival of deportation teams has created a rift between the White House and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. DeWine, a Springfield native with lifelong ties to Haiti, has been vocal about the contributions of the Haitian community.

“It’s as dire as I’ve ever seen it,” DeWine said of the violence in Haiti, expressing deep fear for those facing deportation. While DeWine admitted he cannot legally stop federal agents from entering the city, he has urged local leaders to assert “home rule” and pressured the state highway patrol to prioritize the protection of all residents.

“We cannot control what [ICE] does,” DeWine told WEWS TV-5, “but... we want peace. Our officers are trained. They know how to de-escalate situations.”

Fear on the Ground

Despite the “thrilled” sentiment depicted in Rep. Click’s fake photo, the atmosphere in Springfield is one of mounting dread. While some legal avenues—such as marriage or established parentage—remain for a small fraction of TPS holders, the majority face an uncertain future in a country more violent today than it was when they fled.

As the deadline hits tomorrow, the manufactured images of “coffee with ICE” are likely to be replaced by the stark reality of armed tactical units in Ohio’s streets.