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‍Chicago, IL— Alianza Americas, the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), and Youth Ministry Explosion for Christ International (YMECI) strongly condemn the Trump administration’s decision to vacate the redesignation and extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 520,000 Haitian nationals. As a result of the administration's action, TPS for Haiti will expire on August 3, 2025, leaving its beneficiaries in irregular status and exposing thousands of Haitian families to the threat of deportation. This irresponsible action reflects a lack of understanding of the TPS legislation and the administration's inhumanity towards the plight of the Haitian people.  The decision to vacate the prior redesignation and extension of TPS for Haiti blatantly disregards the required process, which mandates that TPS designations be determined through careful assessments of country conditions.

TPS for Haiti was redesignated twice since 2010 because the country's conditions have worsened systematically. The 2010 earthquake had a devastating impact on an already embattled country by poverty and armed conflict. The assassination of the president in 2021 precipitated a more profound political crisis after the closing of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in 2017. In 2024, more than 5,600 persons died as a result of gang violence, there were over 300 lynchings, and around 280 persons were summarily executed by the Police. As Haiti's situation worsened, President Obama, Trump, and Biden redesigned TPS for Haiti. TPS redesignations have not been an attraction force for Haitians to the U.S., as affirmed by Secretary Noem. Earthquakes and violence have forced Haitians to flee, and following the letter and spirit of the law, three administrations, including the first of President Trump, redesignated TPS because a careful assessment of country conditions led them to conclude that this was the legally mandated outcome.

"Haiti is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis, with rampant gang violence, political instability, and a worsening humanitarian emergency.  The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said it himself that “Haiti is drowning…”  This statement alone rebuts the decision of the Department of Homeland Security.  Armed groups control the majority of Port-au-Prince, displacing over 700,000 people. At the same time, the country faces economic collapse, widespread food insecurity, and the lasting devastation of natural disasters," said Tessa Petit, Director of Florida Immigrant Coalition. "Sending people back to a country where half of the population faces crisis levels of hunger, and where there is no access to healthcare,  is not just irresponsible—it is a death sentence for many," concluded Petit.

The decision to vacate the TPS extension for Haiti will force thousands of Haitian children and families into perilous circumstances. Haitians have contributed to and have helped revitalize local communities through cultural, social, and economic contributions.  "This decision disregards the devastating consequences it will have on families and communities across the country," said Jean Gelin, Director of Youth Ministry Explosion for Christ International. "Instead of forcing people into danger, we should strengthen humanitarian protections and support policies that offer long-term stability," added Gelin.

Alianza Americas urges the administration to reverse this decision immediately. The TPS integrity is maintained when the procedures and considerations of the statute are followed and not when they are violated, as in this case, when protections are being terminated prematurely without due consideration of the country’s conditions. The current administration claimed that it was going to address irregular immigration. Its actions force people into irregular migratory status and fail to uphold the United States’ commitment to humanitarian protection.

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Alianza Americas is the premier transnational advocacy network of Latin American migrant-led organizations working in the United States, across the Americas, and globally to create an inclusive, equitable and sustainable way of life for communities across North, Central and South America.