Biden administration extends protected status for up to 309,000 migrants from Haiti

The Biden administration, on Friday, announced an 18 months extension —and redesignation- to temporary protected status for up to 309,000 unauthorized migrants from Haiti living in the country.

A temporary protected status, also known as TPS, is not a permanent legal status but protects against deportation, allows migrants to get a work permit, and sometimes travel authorization.

The TPS will apply for Haitians already under temporary protected status. And the redesignation will allow Haitians who have been in the U.S. since the beginning of the month to apply for an initial TPS.

The extension period starts on Aug. 4 and runs until Feb. 3, 2026. The Federal Register notice published Friday provides information about registering for the TPS.

In a statement, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said this extension is needed “due to extraordinary and temporary conditions in Haiti.”

“We are providing this humanitarian relief to Haitians already present in the United States given the conditions that existed in their home country as of June 3, 2024,” said secretary Mayorkas.

The TPS extension published today cites Haiti’s “simultaneous economic, security, political, and health crises,” as some of the reasons why the Biden Administration moved to extend this program.

NPR has reported that gangs have seized control of the streets, resulting in high levels of crime and violence.

The TPS proclamation also cites the effects of environmental disasters on the economy and political instability as reasons why people leave that country.