In a bold move that has sparked heated debate, President Donald Trump officially canceled deportation protections for over half a million Haitian nationals living in the United States. The decision ends the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) granted to Haitians by the Biden administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It was previously used to “exploit” the asylum system to protect illegal aliens from deportation, according to the Trump administration.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem defended the decision by emphasizing that the policy was being restored to its original, temporary purpose. She argued that the program had been misused and abused over time, and it was necessary to rein in its scope after the Biden administration exploited it. Noem expressed her commitment to ensuring that the TPS program is applied in a way that aligns with its intended objectives. This is part of the president's sweeping effort to make good on campaign promises and carry out mass deportations of illegal immigrants.
“For decades, the TPS system has been exploited and abused," the DHS said in the statement. ”For example, Haiti has been designated for TPS since 2010. The data shows each extension of the country's TPS designation allowed more Haitian nationals, even those who entered the U.S. illegally, to qualify for legal protected status.”
“Biden and [former DHS Secretary Alejandro] Mayorkas attempted to tie the hands of the Trump administration by extending Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status by 18 months—far longer than justified or necessary,” a DHS spokesperson said. “We are returning integrity to the TPS system, which has been abused and exploited by illegal aliens for decades. President Trump and Secretary Noem are returning TPS to its original status: temporary.”
The DHS stated that approximately 57,000 Haitians were eligible for TPS protections as of 2011, but by July 2024, that number had increased to 520,694.
Former President George H.W. Bush established the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program to assist immigrants fleeing countries experiencing widespread humanitarian crises. The DHS determines eligibility. During former President Joe Biden’s administration, the program was extended to over one million migrants, including those from Venezuela, El Salvador, and Ukraine.