Uncertain future for Charleroi as TPS expires

The expiration of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians has brought Charleroi to another crossroads.

As borough leaders weigh the potential effects of population loss while trying to move beyond two years of national attention over immigration, they offer differing perspectives on the federal policy while sharing a common goal: bringing the Magic City back.

Charleroi became the focus of national attention during the 2024 presidential campaign as the borough’s growing Haitian population sparked a broader political debate over immigration.

The attention created a divide between residents, business owners and elected officials while also shaping how people outside the community viewed the borough.

For a community that had spent decades trying to reverse population loss and attract investment, the sudden national attention altered how residents viewed their hometown and how people outside the Mon Valley viewed Charleroi.

Many Haitian immigrants began settling in Charleroi in larger numbers between 2018-19, with additional families in the coming years following relatives and friends who had already established themselves in the borough.

Local leaders and community advocates have previously said immigrants – Haitian or otherwise – were drawn to the Mon Valley by manufacturing jobs, affordable housing and a welcoming community.

Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, is a federal humanitarian immigration program that allows eligible nationals of designated countries to temporarily live and work legally in the United States when conditions make it unsafe for them to return home.

Haiti first received the designation following the devastating 2010 earthquake, and after multiple extensions under both Democratic and Republican administrations, the designation officially ended Monday after a series of court rulings allowed the Trump administration to terminate the program.

By late 2025, the Haitian population had already begun to decline, a trend attributed in part to reduced employment opportunities that initially attracted many families to the area.

The borough’s changing population coincided with continued economic challenges, while evolving federal immigration policies created additional uncertainty for residents living under TPS.

While immigration helped fill vacant housing and support some local businesses, Charleroi also continued to lose manufacturing jobs that had long served as the backbone of its economy.

With TPS expired, borough leaders agree Charleroi is entering another pivotal chapter, but they differ on what the policy change ultimately means for the community’s future.

For borough leaders, the federal policy change represents more than an immigration issue — it raises questions about Charleroi’s economy, housing market and future growth.

Council President Paul Pivovarnik said the borough has little authority over federal immigration policy, but expects it will experience local consequences.

“It’s a federal government decision. Locally, we can’t do anything about it,” he said.

While acknowledging concerns some residents voiced as the Haitian population grew, Pivovarnik said his own experience has largely been positive.

“They were here, they did start fixing up the community, they bought properties, they have tried,” he said. “I have personally not had any problems. We have spoken and we have gotten along. The majority of them worked and a lot of them had multiple jobs.”

Pivovarnik noted Haitians living in Charleroi under TPS were legally in the country while the designation remained in effect.

“As far as being illegal, well technically they weren’t,” Pivovarnik said. “Under Biden, TPS allowed them to be legally here. Until it expired, anyone in the TPS program was here under proper provisions.”

Pivovarnik said one of the borough’s responsibilities has been responding to concerns residents brought to council, but many issues raised about immigration fell outside local government’s authority.

“One thing we can do is address crime, but there was not much of an increase in crime despite the increase in population,” he said.

His greatest concern now is the possibility of renewed population loss and what that could mean for the tax base.

“I don’t have numbers, but there are more houses for sale in Charleroi,” he said. “Residents are leaving, owners are looking to sell, and properties with no one in them are a crushing burden, especially on taxpayers.”

Charleroi’s concern over another population decline comes after decades of shrinking population.

According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the borough’s population dropped from 5,178 in 1990 to 4,174 in 2024 before recent immigration helped slow years of decline.

Pivovarnik questioned whether people would continue choosing Charleroi if they feared they could not remain in the community.

“I can’t see the community rejuvenating if there is a fear people won’t be able to live here,” he said. “Will anyone come back or will they stay if they feel they are not welcome or they are afraid of being deported?”

Pivovarnik would like to see federal officials eventually address broader immigration reform.

“I would hope the federal government can get on board for fixing the immigration status for people who have been hardworking for years and years,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense to me. The entire system.” Borough Manager Joe Manning said the borough’s biggest challenge may be recovering from the divisions and negative perception created by the national attention.

“After becoming a focus of national attention, the borough seems more divided than it was only a few years ago, and I think that’s truly unfortunate,” Manning said. “The borough, regrettably, is transitioning into a phase of population loss, and that’s never a good thing for any community.”

Manning believes many people have an inaccurate perception of the borough.

“People from outside of Charleroi may have the impression that we are a town overrun with crime and gangs, and that has not been my experience,” he said. “All communities have problems to deal with, but it’s seldom the fault of a single group of people.”

If the borough continues to lose residents, Manning said the effects would extend well beyond population figures.

“We will see economic impacts for sure,” he said. “Less people doing business and supporting the local economy, less earned income and property taxes and more empty housing stock. These will be significant challenges in the time ahead.”

Those concerns come after years of economic setbacks.

Quality Pasta closed in 2024, while Charleroi’s historic 132-yearold glass plant permanently ceased operations in April 2025.

Earlier this month, the 26-acre riverfront property was listed for sale.

Nearby, Fourth Street Foods underwent a major ownership transition after its acquisition by Wisconsin- based Morski Foods and ARKK Food Group earlier this year.

Together, the closures and transitions eliminated hundreds of manufacturing jobs that had long supported the local economy, leaving officials concerned about replacing both jobs and residents.

While Manning focused on the borough’s fiscal outlook, Councilwoman Kristin Hopkins said her greatest concern is for the people directly affected by the end of TPS.

“It’s a sad time for our nation and I’m fearful for those in our community who will be directly affected by the ending of TPS for Haiti,” Hopkins said. “The country of Haiti is so dangerous, and it’s a likely death sentence for anyone to return.”

She said her heart especially goes out to children whose lives may be disrupted by the policy change.

“Moving forward, we will always be fighting for positive things to bring to Charleroi Borough for all our residents,” she said. “Our goal is revitalization and we will always be fighting for our residents to make their lives better.”

Hopkins acknowledged many of the circumstances surrounding TPS are out of the borough’s hands.

“Many things that have happened to us here are beyond our control, and it’s been a difficult fight for the people of Charleroi,” she said. “But as leaders on council, our job is to work for the betterment of Charleroi and keep fighting.”

Hopkins said the borough’s responsibility remains the same: improving life for everyone who calls Charleroi home. Councilman Joe Smith said his perspective has been shaped by living alongside the borough’s immigrant families.

“I live here, grew up here, and I have the experiences I have, not all of them bad, not all of them good,” Smith said.

Smith said he has had positive interactions with many immigrants who now call Charleroi home, while also acknowledging concerns he has heard from residents about issues such as traffic and driving.

He said not every problem residents experience can be addressed by borough government.

“We know there are problems. We all live them, but a lot of it doesn’t come back on us. It’s bigger than a borough issue,” Smith said.

He believes those who choose to make Charleroi their home should do so legally and within the requirements of federal immigration law.

Councilman Larry Celaschi also believes the borough should move forward while emphasizing that immigration should occur through legal channels.

Celaschi said as of Tuesday, the legal debate over Haiti’s TPS has run its course.

“It has been ruled by the Supreme Court. Everyone needs to come to terms with the fact it is law,” Celaschi said. “TPS means temporary. That was the word. It is what it is.”

He is ready for the borough to move beyond the issue.

“I’m tired of talking about it,” Celaschi said. “I just want a sense of normalcy to come back to our community and concentrate on things we can improve. … If you come here legally, you have every right to pursue the American dream.

“I think we all want the same thing — to see Charleroi get back in business the way it used to be. It’s living in the past, I guess, maybe it won’t ever be that again, but we can use that memory as a barometer for success.”

Councilwoman Nancy Ellis said the reduction in the borough’s Haitian population is already evident.

“I think you can already see the effect that the TPS situation has had on the town,” Ellis said. “Houses are going up for sale, for rent signs in the windows of empty apartments. The streets are deserted. It used to be that you would never walk in Dollar General without a long line. If there are lines, not as many and they are shorter. On the weekends the Haitians used to wait for the buses to go to Pittsburgh, you don’t see the Haitians waiting for buses. I don’t see as many Haitians going in the Haitian Resource Center.

“The Haitian people used to be out on the streets walking and stopping to talk to other Haitians. I just don’t see that anymore. Many have already left to find work elsewhere and find a place where they feel more welcomed by all.”

Ellis added that longtime Charleroi residents have been mostly supportive of the Haitian immigrants.

“Most of the Haitians here have asylum, they are leaving for employment reasons and a better environment,” she said. “I say there is a vocal minority against the Haitians, but the silent majority are kind and caring and treat the Haitians as (our) neighbors. That’s the Charleroi I know. Those are the good Americans of Charleroi.”

As of Tuesday, many questions remained unanswered following the expiration of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status, with immigrants, employers and communities still awaiting clearer guidance on work authorization and how the policy will be implemented.