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ICYMI: Biden administration extends temporary legal status to 300,000 Haitians, drawing a contrast to Trump
Last week, the Biden administration extended protections for nearly 300,000 Haitians already in the United States who will now be eligible for temporary legal status, allowing them to remain and work in the U.S.
“We thank the Biden administration for extending protections for members of the Haitian community as their country grapples with political unrest and gang violence,” said FDP Chair Nikki Fried. “Florida is home to the largest population of Haitians outside of Haiti and we welcome any measures to improve their safety, security and quality of life in the U.S.”
Read the full story here: Biden administration extends temporary legal status to 300,000 Haitians, drawing a contrast to Trump
– The decision marks a major expansion of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and won praise from many in the Haitian and immigration advocacy community.
– The TPS designation was created by Congress in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering natural disasters or civil strife.
– This expansion will apply to Haitians who were in the United States on June 3 and will last until Feb. 3, 2026. Anyone arriving after June 3 would not qualify. Separately, Mayorkas also extended the Temporary Protected Status of an estimated 200,000 Haitians who already had it. Their extension will also last through Feb. 3, 2026.
– The move — one of the largest expansions of TPS — draws another sharp policy contrast on immigration between President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, who sought to end temporary status for many countries, including Haiti, during his tenure in the White House.
– Gangs have pillaged their way through the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, killing, raping and kidnapping thousands of people in recent years and leaving hundreds of thousands of others homeless and unemployed, which in turn has deepened poverty.
