NEW: DHS Ends Protective Status For Half A Million Haitians

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced on Friday that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the country of Haiti has been terminated. The actual termination takes effect on September 2, 2025, while the TPS designation given to Haiti will expire on August 3, 2025.

The announcement, posted on the news section of the official Homeland Security website, says that 60 days before the TPS designation expires, the Secretary, after consulting with the appropriate government agencies, will have to review conditions in a country designated for TPS to decide if the conditions supporting the designation are still being met.

If they are, the Secretary must decide the length of time to extend the designation.

“This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is actually temporary,” a spokesperson for DHS went on to say. “The environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home. We encourage these individuals to take advantage of the Department’s resources in returning to Haiti, which can be arranged through the CBP Home app. Haitian nationals may pursue lawful status through other immigration benefit requests, if eligible.”

Noem, after meeting with interagency partners, determined that the conditions in Haiti no longer met the TPS requirements. Her decision to terminate the TPS status for Haiti was made after a review of conditions within the country by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, in consultation with the State Department.

The Secretary found that conditions in Haiti have undergone significant improvements, to the extent that Haitians can now return home safely. She also found that allowing Haitian nationals to continue staying in the U.S. is not in the national interest of the country. Those who will be returning to Haiti are encouraged to report their departure from the U.S. to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency.

President Donald Trump had previously campaigned on cracking down on illegal immigration, a promise he took seriously by launching the largest deportation operation in the history of the United States. Noem, his pick to head up Homeland Security, is in lock-step with his immigration agenda.

In February, according to Reuters, Noem decided to end TPS for 350,000 Venezuelans, along with a large number of individuals from both Afghanistan and Cameroon. Despite the controversy these moves stirred up, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration could continue to end TPS for Venezuelans.

Many advocates for Haiti argue that Noem’s assessment of the country’s conditions is incorrect, claiming they warrant an extension. One of the angles advocates have taken in attempting to prove their point is that the nation has not held an election since 2016. Its capital city of Port-au-Prince is completely controlled by armed gangs.