The United States Donald Trump administration on Thursday announced the cancellation of an extension of Temporary Protected Status granted to over 500,000 Haitians by former President Joe Biden.
The United States provides TPS to foreign nationals who are unable to return home safely due to war, natural disasters, or other “extraordinary” conditions.
The Biden administration had extended TPS for Haitians by 18 months, pushing the expiration to February 2026. However, under the new directive, it will now end on August 3.
“President Trump and I are returning TPS to its original status: temporary,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement issued by the department.
“This is part of President Trump’s promise to rescind policies that were magnets for illegal immigration and inconsistent with the law,” the Department of Homeland Security stated.
Government estimates show that the number of Haitians eligible for TPS protection has surged from 57,000 in 2011 to 520,694 in 2024.
A DHS spokeswoman defended the move, asserting that the extension granted by the Biden administration was “far longer than justified or necessary.”
Since his return to office, Trump has swiftly ordered a review of the entire TPS program. During his campaign, he made baseless claims that a city in Ohio had witnessed a recent influx of Haitian migrants who were stealing and eating residents’ cats and dogs.
Critics swiftly condemned the decision, arguing that it would cause disruption and instability.
“The Trump administration is ripping stability away from half a million Haitians who have built their lives here—children, workers, parents, and neighbors who have become integral to American communities and contributed to our economy,” said Beatriz Lopez, Co-Executive Director of the Immigration Hub, an organization focused on policy solutions for aspiring citizens.
“This reckless decision doesn’t just harm them; it destabilizes the very businesses, families, and local economies that rely on them,” she added.
Last month, the Trump administration also revoked deportation protections for more than 600,000 Venezuelans residing in the U.S.
Noem, in an appearance on Fox News in January, made clear the administration’s stance on immigration policies. “The people of this country want these dirtbags out. They want their communities to be safe,” she said.
Haiti has endured chronic political instability for decades, worsened by a devastating earthquake in 2010. More recently, the nation has been plagued by escalating violence from armed groups.
Despite the election of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime in November and the deployment of a UN-backed security mission to support Haiti’s national police, violence remains rampant.
According to the United Nations, at least 5,601 people were killed by gang violence in Haiti in 2024.
