Biden Admin Preparing Deportation Protection For Hundreds Of Thousands Of Haitians In The US

The Biden administration is planning on extending deportation protection for more than 300,000 Haitians living in the United States.

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas is rolling out new deportation protections for around 309,000 Haitian nationals, according to a Friday announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The maneuver involves giving Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to more recent Haitian arrivals, many of whom fled the island country amid government upheaval, and also extends TPS already designated to hundreds of thousands of other Haitian nationals.

“We are providing this humanitarian relief to Haitians already present in the United States given the conditions that existed in their home country as of June 3, 2024,” Mayorkas said in a statement.” In doing so, we are realizing the core objective of the TPS law and our obligation to fulfill it.”

TPS is given to certain foreign nationals living in the U.S. whose home countries are experiencing extreme upheaval through either natural disasters or political instability, making returning home potentially dangerous. The designation shields those with deportation protection, even if they are living in the country unlawfully, and can provide work permits.

Mayorkas already designated Haitians with TPS in 2021 and renewed it in late 2022. This new order renews Haitians with TPS again and provides TPS to Haitians who’ve arrived since late 2022.

The move will give Haitian nationals deportation protection until early 2026, according to the announcement.