February 21, 2025

Contact: media@haitianbridge.org, info@haitianbridge.org

San Diego, CA –  The Haitian Bridge Alliance strongly urges the Trump Administration to immediately reverse its decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 500,000 Haitian nationals in August 2025—six months earlier than the previously designated expiration date of February 2026. This decision threatens to uproot families, destabilize communities, undermine the American economy, and force deportations to a country in crisis.

Haiti is currently experiencing one of its worst humanitarian and security crises in modern history. According to the United Nations, nearly 5.5 million people—almost half of Haiti’s population—require humanitarian assistance. Widespread gang violence, political instability, and economic collapse have led to mass displacement, with nearly one million people internally displaced and thousands unable to access basic necessities such as food, water, and healthcare.

A recent report by Human Rights Watch found that gang-related violence, including killings, kidnappings, and sexual violence, has escalated to an unprecedented level, with over 80% of Port-au-Prince controlled by armed groups. Haiti’s healthcare system is on the verge of collapse, with limited access to medical services and worsening outbreaks of cholera and other preventable diseases.

Given these dire conditions, forcing Haitian TPS holders to return is not only inhumane but also a violation of international human rights obligations. The U.S. government has long recognized that conditions in Haiti remain too dangerous for mass deportations. The Trump Administration’s decision to cut short TPS protection contradicts this reality and will place thousands of lives in jeopardy.

Beyond the humanitarian impact, terminating TPS early would be an economic disaster for the United States. Haitian TPS and other TPS holders from Salvador, Honduras are integral to industries such as healthcare, construction, and hospitality, contributing over $4.3 billion in GDP annually. According to the Center for American Progress,  Haitian TPS holders contribute over $1.2 billion in taxes annually, supporting critical infrastructure, public services, and local economies.

Forcing over 500,000 Haitians out of the workforce would have severe repercussions for American businesses, especially amid ongoing labor shortages. The Trump Administration’s decision is not only cruel but also economically shortsighted.

Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of Haitian Bridge Alliance, stated:
“This decision is an outright attack on Haitian families who have built their lives in the United States. It is cruel, unnecessary, and ignores the dire reality in Haiti. The potential Deportation of over 500,000 Haitians is act of violence on black immigrants to a country crippled by instability will result in a humanitarian catastrophe. The Trump Administration must reverse this decision immediately and uphold its moral and legal responsibility to protect vulnerable populations.This decision once again proves that the current administration doesn’t have an “immigration” issue or any desire to support “legal” pathways but these decisions are deeply rooted in anti-black, anti-Haitian prejudices and white supremacists ideologies”

We call on the Trump Administration to reverse this dangerous decision and extend and redesignate TPS for Haiti  to reflect the worsening conditions on the ground. We also urge Congress to pass permanent protections, ensuring TPS holders and their families are not subjected to family separation and deportation.