Trump Moves to Deport 500,000 Haitians as Temporary Status Ends

President Donald Trump’s plans have ramped up to include those under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), targeting 500,000 Haitians – some of whom have held this “temporary” protection for over a decade.

A reported half a million Haitians will now have their TPS terminated and face possible deportation.

Conditions in Haiti no longer warrant the status under which these nationals had been protected, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The Associated Press reports that TPS allows immigrants to stay in the United States if their home countries are unsafe.

Prior to Trump’s second term, seventeen different countries had immigrants under TPS.

TPS designation for Haiti expires August 3, and termination will be effective September 2, according to the DHS website.

A DHS representative commented on the decision, stating:

“This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is actually temporary.”

“The environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home. We encourage these individuals to take advantage of the Department’s resources in returning to Haiti, which can be arranged through the CBP Home app.”

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The representative added that Haitians could still pursue legal means to remain:

“Haitian nationals may pursue lawful status through other immigration benefit requests, if eligible.”

The Haiti Wire reported that TPS was initially granted after Haiti experienced a devastating earthquake in 2010, which killed more than 200,000 people.

Since then, TPS extensions have repeatedly been granted due to continued political and economic instability.

However, Haitians are not the only group affected by recent TPS terminations.

According to JP, the DHS also ended protected status for Venezuelans, Afghans, and Cameroonians earlier this year.

Haitians have benefited from American prosperity and opportunity under TPS, assuming no safe alternative existed at home.

Critics argue that Haiti remains too dangerous or impoverished to send these migrants back.

This development underscores the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to prioritize American citizens and enforce immigration laws as written.

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