The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has declared that it will officially terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals, a decision set to take effect on September 2, 2025. The announcement was made on Friday, with an expiration date for the status designated as August 3, 2025.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem communicated the decision via an official DHS website post. According to the department, a review of Haiti's conditions was undertaken at least 60 days before the announced expiration, a process mandated for the termination of TPS designations. TPS is typically granted to individuals from countries experiencing extreme hardships such as armed conflicts, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary conditions, allowing them to live and work in the United States temporarily.
The responsibility to determine the continuation of protected status lies with the DHS Secretary, contingent on the persistence of severe conditions in the designated country. Despite acknowledging Haiti's challenges, Secretary Noem concluded that the conditions in Haiti have sufficiently improved, no longer warranting the TPS continuation.
A spokesperson for the DHS stated that the decision reflects the intent behind TPS—to provide temporary refuge—and highlighted Haiti's environmental improvements as a sign of the country's readiness for the safe return of its nationals. The spokesperson also urged Haitian nationals to prepare for their return by utilizing available DHS resources, including the CBP One app, and to explore other legal immigration relief options if eligible.
The review leading to the termination was informed by reports from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, in coordination with the State Department. The DHS cited not only improved conditions in Haiti but also the national interest as reasons for ending the TPS designation. The department is offering logistical support to facilitate the return process for those affected.
The decision impacts approximately 500,000 Haitians residing in the U.S. under this protective status. Under President Donald Trump's administration, which appointed Secretary Noem, there has been a concentrated effort on immigration enforcement, including the largest deportation initiative in U.S. history and the termination of TPS for several countries.
Earlier this year, similar moves were made to terminate TPS for Venezuelans, Afghans, and Cameroonians, decisions that remained intact despite legal challenges, backed by Supreme Court affirmation of the administration's authority to rescind TPS.
Haitian advocacy groups and community leaders vehemently oppose the DHS decision, citing ongoing violence, political instability, and the lack of functional governance in Haiti, with no national elections held since 2016 and much of Port-au-Prince under criminal control. These critics argue that the precarious situation should have warranted an extension of TPS rather than its termination.
As the deadline draws near, Haitian nationals protected by TPS are advised to seek legal alternatives or prepare for their return through DHS-provided resources.
