The Trump administration today canceled an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) visas for Haitians. The designation will officially end work authorization for all Haitian TPS recipients on August 3, 2025.
Status of Haiti’s TPS Designation
In June 2024, the Biden administration extended TPS protections for Haitians for 18 months, from August 2024 through February 2026. The Trump administration announcement today changed that 18-month extension to just a 12-month extension, meaning TPS status will end on August 3, 2025.
Secretary Noem now has until June 2025 to decide whether to extend the program. If no action is taken by DHS, the TPS status will automatically extend for six months.
“President Trump and I are returning TPS to its original status: temporary,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said to NBC.
The administration’s formal announcement noted that this decision will impact roughly 500,000 Haitians currently residing in the U.S. under the program.
More information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USCIS) can be found here.
What is TPS?
The Secretary of Homeland Security may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately. USCIS may grant TPS to eligible nationals of certain countries (or parts of countries), who are already in the United States. Eligible individuals without nationality who last resided in the designated country may also be granted TPS.
The Secretary may designate a country for TPS due to the following temporary conditions in the country:
- Ongoing armed conflict (such as civil war)
- An environmental disaster (such as earthquake or hurricane), or an epidemic
- Other extraordinary and temporary conditions
During a designated period, individuals who are TPS beneficiaries or who are found preliminarily eligible for TPS upon initial review of their cases (prima facie eligible):
- Are not removable from the United States
- Can obtain an employment authorization document (EAD)
- May be granted travel authorization
Current TPS Countries
The U.S. continues to provide TPS protection to some individuals from the following countries: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Cameroon, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Honduras, Lebanon, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen.
Earlier in February, DHS announced it is ending TPS status for Venezuela, with work authorization for all Venezuelan TPS recipients ending on April 6, 2025.
