The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of the United States announced in the Federal Register on Wednesday (November 26) the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian citizens.
TPS (Temporary Protected Status) is a temporary immigration benefit that allows nationals from designated countries to reside and work in the United States during times of crisis, such as armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other special and temporary conditions. When a country is designated for TPS, eligible individuals already in the U.S. are protected from being deported.
The announcement stated that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem concluded, after consulting with partner agencies, that Haiti no longer meets the statutory requirements for TPS. The decision was based on a review conducted by immigration authorities, input from relevant U.S. government agencies, and an analysis indicating that allowing Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the U.S. does not align with U.S. national interests.
The announcement declared that TPS for Haiti will terminate on February 3, 2026. Haitians currently holding TPS status are advised to prepare for departure if they do not have any other lawful basis to stay in the U.S. They can use the “CBP Home” app to report their departure. This secure and convenient self-deportation process includes a free ticket, a $1000 departure incentive, and potential opportunities for legal immigration to the U.S. in the future.
This decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haitians supersedes the decision announced in the notification issued on July 1, 2025.
Previously, in June, DHS began notifying tens of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans that their permits for temporary residence and work in the U.S. had been revoked and they should leave the country.
An announcement from the immigration agency on November 13 indicated that TPS for immigrants from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Nepal, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela (with extensions to 2023 and designation to 2021), Syria, and South Sudan was also terminated.
According to Reuters, on September 14, 2024, former Republican presidential candidate Trump promised to carry out large-scale deportations of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. The day before, during a rally in Las Vegas, he expressed anger, stating, “I am very angry because illegal Haitian immigrants are occupying Springfield, Ohio. You see the chaos there… Young American girls are being raped and murdered by savage foreign criminals who easily enter our country but are here illegally.”