Unrest among Haitian immigrants in the U.S.A.
In a significant development, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Haiti, which has provided safe haven for over 500,000 Haitian nationals in the United States since 2010, is due to expire on September 2, 2025. This decision, made by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), follows a review by DHS and other U.S. agencies that found conditions in Haiti have improved sufficiently to allow safe return of Haitian nationals.
Currently, Haitian nationals under TPS retain work authorization and protected status only until September 2, 2025. DHS has encouraged Haitian nationals to utilize available resources to return to Haiti voluntarily, including assistance via the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home app to report departures.
However, the impending expiration of TPS has left many Haitians in a state of fear and uncertainty. Clarens, a Haitian individual who fled Port-au-Prince in 2024 and obtained TPS in the United States, lives in constant fear of being arrested and deported just for stepping out into the street. His fear is shared by many within the Haitian communities in Miami and New York, where Guerline Jozef, director of the "Haitian Bridge Alliance," has received numerous testimonies of Haitians living in distress, including a woman who fears being deported and separated from her children.
In Brooklyn's "Little Haiti" neighborhood, many residents fear going to the market, church, work, or even the clinic due to the fear of being arrested by ICE agents. This fear is so pervasive that some are considering migrating to Canada, where the Canadian Border Services Agency has noticed an influx of asylum seekers at the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle border post, with Haiti being the first country of origin of the applicants.
The Canadian government has not confirmed whether Haitians with TPS will be eligible for asylum under a safe third country agreement. Marjorie VilleFranche, director of the Haitian House in Montreal, has seen an increase in requests for information and people seeking help from Haitians with temporary status in the United States.
While the termination of TPS for Haiti was framed as ensuring TPS remains temporary and upholding the integrity of the immigration system, there is ongoing legal contention regarding this decision. A New York federal judge recently ruled that part of DHS’s partial vacatur of TPS for Haitians was unlawful, indicating ongoing legal challenges affecting how TPS termination might proceed in practice.
After TPS termination, Haitian nationals must seek other means of obtaining lawful status in the U.S. if eligible, such as other immigration benefit applications or visas. DHS explicitly encourages Haitians to explore these lawful status options. However, without TPS, many Haitians may not be able to work, pay their rent, and could end up on the streets, according to Haitian activist Pascale Solages.
As the expiration of TPS for Haiti approaches, the future for many Haitian TPS beneficiaries remains uncertain, marked by fear, legal challenges, and practical complexities.
[1] U.S. Department of Homeland Security, "Termination of Temporary Protected Status Designation for Haiti," 2021. [2] U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, "Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti," 2021. [3] National Immigration Law Center, "DHS’s Termination of TPS for Haiti is Unlawful," 2023.
- After learning about the termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, many Haitians are considering migrating to Canada due to fear and uncertainty caused by potential deportation.
- The decision made by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to terminate TPS for Haiti, which was due to improved conditions in Haiti, has raised questions about the country's policies and legislation regarding immigration, particularly in relation to war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice.
- The Canadian Border Services Agency has observed an influx of asylum seekers at the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle border post, with Haiti being the first country of origin for the applicants. This situation highlights the broader general news topic of global migration and the various factors that drive it.
