In a significant immigration policy move, the Biden administration is set to extend temporary protected status (TPS) to approximately 300,000 Haitians, allowing them to remain and work in the United States. This decision comes amidst ongoing efforts by President Biden to navigate complex immigration challenges and address humanitarian concerns.
The plan, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity, will cover Haitians who arrived in the U.S. after November 2022. TPS provides a legal shield against deportation for individuals from countries experiencing severe conditions, such as armed conflict or natural disasters.
President Biden’s administration has been active in employing TPS to safeguard migrants from several nations, including Venezuela, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Haiti. The latest extension for Haitians follows previous TPS designations due to ongoing turmoil in Haiti, including political instability and pervasive violence exacerbated by gang activities.
Haiti has faced significant challenges, including the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 and subsequent gang violence gripping the nation. Despite the Biden administration’s efforts to protect Haitians under TPS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has continued deportations to Haiti, prompting criticism and calls from lawmakers and activists to halt such actions.
Earlier this year, ICE deported dozens of Haitians to a location far north of the capital, Port-au-Prince, even as the State Department cautioned against travel to Haiti for U.S. citizens due to safety concerns related to crime, kidnapping, civil unrest, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure.
The decision to extend TPS for Haitians underscores the administration’s attempt to balance immigration policy amid domestic and international scrutiny. President Biden has faced criticism from various quarters, with some advocating for stricter controls at the southern border while others decry what they perceive as overly harsh measures against asylum seekers.
The administration’s decision is expected to provide temporary relief to Haitian migrants in the U.S. while broader discussions on immigration reform and policy continue within the Biden administration and in Congress.
