The United States government under Donald Trump has ended the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. The status officially ended on July 27.
The TPS was originally granted following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. The US Department of Homeland Security stated that the program had been unduly extended by Democratic administrations.
On August 5, a US federal court authorized the administration to fully implement the removal of the TPS. CNN reported that former beneficiaries are now exposed to detention and expulsion.
Community impact and fear
More than 300,000 Haitians are now in an irregular situation in the United States. A merchant told the Miami Herald that streets are deserted in parts of the Haitian community in southern Florida.
A Haitian woman named Gernide reported that authorities are detaining individuals indiscriminately. They come and take anyone. Fear extends beyond those with expired status.
A priest at the Saints Pierre et Paul church in the Atlanta suburbs stated that peaceful protests or street demonstrations would not yield many results. He cited the Republican majority in the US Senate and the US Congress as a barrier to political change.
