US ends temporary protected status for 500,000 Haitians amid growing crisis

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Friday, February 21st, 2025

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The US Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday that it will end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 500,000 Haitians living in the country by August 2025. This decision comes despite worsening conditions in Haiti, where gang violence controls about 85% of the capital and incidents of sexual violence against children surged by 1,000% last year, according to the United Nations.
TPS, which allows nationals from countries experiencing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other unsafe conditions to live and work legally in the US, has been in effect for Haitians since 2010. With the expiration date set for August 3, 2025, those affected will lose their work permits and face the risk of deportation.
President Donald Trump’s administration has moved to overhaul US immigration policies, with plans for “mass deportations” and arrests. The announcement follows similar action in February, when TPS for Venezuelans was also slated to end, though legal challenges are ongoing.
Critics of the decision point to the escalating violence in Haiti, where over 5,600 people were killed last year. The UN has reported that families are living in makeshift shelters, struggling to survive amid deteriorating conditions. Democratic congresswoman Ayanna Pressley described the move as “shameful,” emphasizing that it puts Haitians who have lived in the US for 15 years at risk of deportation for no reason other than their nationality.
The US government claims that the TPS system has been “exploited” by people who entered the country illegally, but advocates argue that the dire situation in Haiti should prevent such a drastic move.