Trump Ends Protection for 500,000 Haitian Migrants

WASHINGTON, Feb 21, 2025 (BSS/AFP) – The Trump administration announced Thursday that it is canceling the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for over 500,000 Haitian migrants that had been granted by former President Joe Biden.

The United States provides TPS to foreign citizens who cannot safely return to their home countries due to situations like war, natural disasters, or other extraordinary circumstances. While the Biden administration had extended the status for Haitians until February 2026, the Trump administration will now allow it to expire on August 3.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated, "President Trump and I are returning TPS to its original status: temporary." She emphasized that this decision was part of Trump's broader commitment to undoing policies that encouraged illegal immigration and were inconsistent with U.S. law.

The number of Haitians receiving TPS protection surged from 57,000 in 2011 to 520,694 by 2024, according to U.S. government estimates. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called the TPS extension under Biden "far longer than justified or necessary."

During his election campaign, Trump had made controversial remarks about immigrants and their impact on the country, including baseless claims about Haitian migrants in Ohio.

Beatriz Lopez, Co-Executive Director of the Immigration Hub, criticized the decision, stating, "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."

The decision follows a similar move last month when the Trump administration revoked protection from deportation for over 600,000 Venezuelans in the U.S.

Haiti has faced political instability and violence for years, exacerbated by the 2010 earthquake, and gang-related violence continues to plague the country. The UN reported that at least 5,601 people were killed by gang violence in Haiti in 2024.