With less than two days remaining before the Trump administration is set to announce its decision on whether to renew Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott is seeking to reassure Haitian beneficiaries of the program.
The Florida senator says he believes “the President of the United States will continue to support TPS for Haitians.”
In an interview with Haitian journalist James Pierre, Senator Rick Scott spoke about the TPS status of Haitian and Venezuelan nationals, as well as U.S. immigration policy more broadly.
“President Trump supported TPS for Haitians during his first term, and I believe he will continue to do so,” said the 70-year-old lawmaker, who also mentioned Donald Trump’s support for “Deferred Action for Venezuelans.” “I think he will maintain that position,” Scott added.
Rick Scott pledged to work toward renewing TPS. “I will fight for that, and I know the congressman will fight for it as well,” he said, referring to another member of Congress who was present during the interview.
Scott is among the Republicans close to Donald Trump who have repeatedly expressed their intention to end TPS for Haitians. In fact, candidate Donald Trump made the issue one of the central themes of his 2024 presidential campaign.
Criticizing the Biden administration’s management of the program, Scott clarified that the president is not opposed to the idea of TPS but wants a system that is well-structured and consistent with the rules. “…we need a system that works. The Biden administration has abused the TPS program. Look at what they’ve done — it’s obvious. We support immigration; I come from a state of immigrants — like all of us, right? But what the Biden administration did was an abuse of the system.”
Regarding executive power over immigration policy, Scott emphasized that only the president has the authority to define such policies. “The president has the power to determine TPS status,” he stated, noting the temporary nature of the program, “which is meant to offer protection during times of crisis in a given country.”
Rick Scott also emphasized the need for a strict and orderly immigration policy. “I don’t want criminals here. I don’t want drug traffickers here. I want a system where our borders are secure, where we vet the people coming in. And when there is a real crisis in a country, we should be a safe haven.”
This interview comes as the Haitian community awaits clear signals regarding the future of TPS, amid ongoing political turmoil in Haiti.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently authorized the deportation of Venezuelans covered by TPS, overturning an injunction by a lower court that had been upheld on appeal.
On Friday, that same Supreme Court also cleared the way for the Trump administration to deport beneficiaries of the humanitarian parole program, often referred to as the “Biden program.”
On June 2, the Trump administration is expected to announce whether it will renew TPS for Haitian immigrants. The protection was originally set to expire on February 3, 2026, but the administration had already shortened the eligibility period by six months.
