NORTH MIAMI, Fla. — The Trump administration has revoked TPS, or temporary protected status, which is expected to impact 500,000 Haitians living in the U.S., setting them up for potential deportation.
The Department of Homeland Security stated in a news release Friday:
“This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that temporary protective status is actually temporary…the environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home.”
Sunday morning report:
A crucial town hall meeting was put together in North Miami on Sunday as community leaders and residents gathered to discuss what’s next for Haitians facing the end of their protected status and how to help those who need it.
“The top concern for Haitians right now is what is going to happen, how quickly are they going to remove those that do not have the right paperwork to be here,” said advocate Naomi Blemur.
The panel discussion addressed some of the most pressing concerns as gangs tighten their grip in the island nation.
“There are some individuals who are here who may have the opportunity to adjust their status in some sort of way,” said advocate Sandra Cherfrere. “Maybe they have a family member who can apply for them, they may be eligible for asylum depending on what’s going on.”
TPS allows people currently in the U.S. to stay and work legally if their homelands are deemed unsafe.
Immigrants from 17 countries, including Haiti, Afghanistan, Sudan and Lebanon, were receiving those protections before President Donald Trump took office for his second term in January.
The Haitian community has fought for temporary protected status before, taking to the streets of Miami back in 2017.
The demonstrations, paired with litigation, halted Trump’s termination effort back then, but the current battle is very different since it’s deeply intertwined with the administration’s wide sweeping immigration crackdown.
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