DHS Terminating Temporary Protected Status for Haitian Nationals

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Nov. 28 published a notice in the Federal Register announcing that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian immigrants living in the United States will be terminated in early February.

The department said in the notice that, following a review, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem found that Haiti no longer meets the conditions for the TPS designation and will terminate the designation on Feb. 3, 2026.

“Based on the Department’s review, the Secretary has determined that while the current situation in Haiti is concerning, the United States must prioritize its national interests and permitting Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the U.S. national interest,” the DHS said in the termination notice.

About 352,959 nationals of Haiti are currently living in the United States, according to DHS estimates. About 18,000 of them are also lawful permanent residents, the agency said.

In a Nov. 26 statement, DHS officials urged Haitians who could see their TPS expire in February to leave the United States or potentially face the consequences. They advised Haitians to use the CBP Home app to self-deport and receive a $1,000 exit bonus.

The Biden administration expanded the TPS policy and allowed hundreds of thousands of people from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Haiti, and other countries to remain inside the United States. The Trump administration has moved to revoke TPS for some countries, saying that a large number of people who entered the country and are now under TPS came into the United States illegally.

Efforts to terminate TPS for some countries have faced legal battles. In October, the Supreme Court granted a Trump administration request to terminate TPS status for Venezuelan nationals living in the United States.

“Limited access to critical information and significant processing delays hinder the ability of federal officials to reliably assess the criminal histories or national security threats posed by aliens attempting to enter the U.S. illegally,” DHS said Nov. 28. “As a result, public safety and national security risks are significantly heightened in such conditions.”

Homeland Security officials said that the TPS program has become a draw for illegal immigrants in recent years.

“Using TPS to grant temporary status to successive waves of new arrivals from a designated country may generate a significant pull factor for illegal immigration and act in tension with the congressional design,” the agency said.

Migration from Haiti became a flashpoint issue during the 2024 election, with Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump making reference to the thousands of Haitian nationals in Springfield, Ohio.

Earlier this week, the U.S. government imposed visa restrictions on an unnamed Haitian government official, alleging that the official was supporting gangs and obstructing efforts by Haiti’s government to combat what Washington calls terrorist organizations.