Trump administration revokes deportation safeguards for about 500,000 Haitians

The Trump administration has announced the cancellation of protections that previously safeguarded around 500,000 Haitians from deportation, which means these individuals could lose their work permits and risk removal from the United States by August.
This decision, revealed on Thursday, is part of a broader initiative by the administration to fulfill its prior campaign commitments regarding mass deportations and to diminish the usage of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This designation had been significantly expanded under the Biden administration to encompass approximately 1 million immigrants.
According to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security, the decision reverses a prior Biden administration determination to continue the Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals, which offered them legal status in the U.S. without providing a clear path to citizenship.
Critics, including members of the Republican Party and representatives from the Trump administration, argue that the extension of TPS has become a routine process, irrespective of the conditions within these individuals’ native countries.
The statement from Homeland Security claimed that the TPS system has been abused over the years. As an example, they pointed out that Haiti has had TPS status since 2010, resulting in an increasing number of Haitian nationals qualifying for this legal protection, even those who might have entered the U.S. unlawfully.
Although there were about 57,000 Haitians eligible for TPS in 2011, that figure surged to 520,694 by July of the previous year.
In response to this announcement, Tessa Petit, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition and a Haitian American, expressed her concerns, stating, “To send 500,000 people back to a country plagued by extreme violence is incredibly inhumane.” She emphasized that Haiti meets all conditions required for protective status and hopes that the administration focuses on human welfare over political agendas in future discussions.
Farah Larrieux, a 46-year-old Haitian business owner and TPS beneficiary since 2010, expressed that this decision shows a disregard for the dire situation prevailing in Haiti. “Nobody is safe in Haiti,” she said, reflecting on the contributions that many Haitians have made while living in the U.S.
The timeline regarding how swiftly individuals could face deportation once their protections expire remains uncertain. Some might seek alternative protective measures, and there are logistical complexities to consider for any possible large-scale deportations.
Haiti’s migration chief, Jean Negot Bonheur Delva, noted that only 21 Haitians have been deported thus far under the Trump administration, with those deportations already planned while Biden was in office. There have been nine flights to Haiti scheduled for 2024, as per reports from an advocacy group monitoring deportation flights.
Delva voiced apprehensions about the repercussions of sending people back to a nation grappling with violence and where more than 1 million individuals are currently homeless due to gang-related activities. “It’s unfortunate that individuals who sought a better life will be forced to return,” he lamented, emphasizing the dire resources available for returnees.
Last year, over 5,600 people were reported as casualties in Haiti, highlighting the unfolding humanitarian crisis. Many displaced individuals live in overcrowded conditions, including makeshift shelters where instances of sexual violence are reportedly rising.
Control of 85% of Haiti’s capital rests with gangs, which have escalated their territorial ambitions, leading to horrific massacres that have taken hundreds of lives.
Delva mentioned that the Haitian government has recently formed a commission aimed at assisting deportees. “They are children of Haiti. A mother must welcome her children back, regardless of the circumstances,” he asserted.
Temporary Protected Status was established by Congress in 1990 to avert deportations from countries undergoing natural disasters or civil unrest, allowing individuals to work legally in increments of up to 18 months.
Towards the conclusion of the Biden administration, TPS protections covered about 1 million immigrants from 17 different countries, including individuals from Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ukraine, and Lebanon. The Trump administration has additionally sought to revoke protections for Venezuelan nationals, prompting two nonprofit organizations to file a lawsuit challenging that decision.