Trump administration revokes TPS extension for over 500,000 Haitians

Washington: The Trump administration cancelled on Thursday an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) that had been granted to more than 500,000 Haitians by former President Joe Biden.

The United States grants Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to foreign citizens who cannot safely return home due to war, natural disasters, or other "extraordinary" conditions.

The status for Haitians had been extended for 18 months, until February 2026, by the Biden administration. However, the Trump administration has now revoked the extension, setting the expiration date to August 3.

Trump administration's justification

"President Trump and I are returning TPS to its original status: temporary," Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem said in a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statement.

The DHS further stated, "This is part of President Trump's promise to rescind policies that were magnets for illegal immigration and inconsistent with the law."

According to the US government’s estimates, the number of Haitians eligible for TPS has surged from 57,000 in 2011 to 520,694 in 2024.

A DHS spokeswoman criticised the Biden administration’s decision, stating that the TPS extension was "far longer than justified or necessary."

Trump's broader immigration crackdown

Since returning to office, Trump has ordered a review of the entire TPS programme.

During his campaign, Trump made baseless claims that a city in Ohio had seen an influx of Haitian migrants who were stealing and eating residents' cats and dogs. He also stated that immigrants were "poisoning the blood" of the United States.

Last month, the Trump administration revoked protection from deportation for more than 600,000 Venezuelans living in the United States.

Criticism of the decision

Beatriz Lopez, Co-Executive Director of the Immigration Hub, strongly condemned 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 neighbours who have become integral to American communities and contributed to our economy."

She further warned, "This reckless decision doesn't just harm them; it destabilises the very businesses, families, and local economies that rely on them."

Haiti's ongoing crisis

Haiti has been plagued by chronic political instability for decades, worsened by the devastating 2010 earthquake and, more recently, escalating violence by armed groups. Despite the election of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé in November and the deployment of a UN-backed security mission to assist Haiti’s national police, violence remains rampant.

According to United Nations reports, at least 5,601 people were killed by gang violence in Haiti in 2024.

Harsh rhetoric on immigration

Trump administration officials have used strong rhetoric when discussing immigration policies.

During a Fox News interview in January, Kristi Noem stated, "The people of this country want these dirtbags out. They want their communities to be safe."

The policy shift marks a drastic reversal from the Biden administration’s more lenient immigration stance and has sparked widespread debate on the future of TPS recipients in the United States.

AFP