The Biden administration has granted a new redesignation and extension of temporary protected status for Haiti.
All Haitians in the United States until June 3, 2024 are eligible for TPS, according to a press release from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
This new redesignation will take effect on August 4 and expire on February 3, 2026.
This decision was adopted due to the security and humanitarian situation in Haiti, according to the Secretary of Homeland Security.
“After consultation with interagency partners, Secretary Mayorkas determined on June 3, 2024 that an 18-month extension and re-designation of Haiti for TPS is warranted because the conditions supporting Haiti’s designation are ongoing and it is not contrary to the national interest of the United States,” reads a statement on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. “Several regions of Haiti continue to face violence or insecurity, and many have limited access to security, health care, food and water,” says the release, which also notes the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Haiti. “Haiti is particularly prone to flooding and mudslides, and often suffers significant damage from storms, floods and earthquakes. These overlapping humanitarian challenges have resulted in urgent humanitarian needs.”
The TPS redesignation for Haiti will allow approximately 309,000 additional Haitian nationals (or individuals without nationality who last resided in Haiti) to apply for TPS if they meet the eligibility criteria and have continuously resided in the United States since June 3, 2024.
Eligible persons may submit an initial Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, during the registration period from July 1, 2024 to February 3, 2026. They can also apply for employment authorization documents (EADs) and travel authorization by submitting Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, USCIS explained.
Secretary Mayorkas underscored the importance of this humanitarian assistance, saying, “We are providing this humanitarian assistance to Haitians already in the United States given the conditions that existed in their home countries as of June 3, 2024. In doing so, we are fulfilling the main purpose of the TPS law and our obligation to enforce it.”
It is essential to note that Haitians who were not residing in the U.S. on or before June 3, 2024 are not eligible for TPS and risk being returned to Haiti if they do not establish a legal basis to remain in the country.
Current beneficiaries of Haiti’s TPS designation must re-register during the 60-day period from July 1, 2024 to August 30, 2024, in order to retain their status and employment authorization until February 3, 2026. Re-registration is limited to individuals who previously registered and obtained TPS under Haiti’s initial designation. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recognizes that some re-registered individuals may not receive new EADs until their current EADs expire. As a result, the validity of certain EADs issued under Haiti’s TPS designation will be automatically extended until August 3, 2025.
The Federal Register notice provides detailed eligibility criteria, deadlines and procedures for current beneficiaries to re-register and renew their EADs, and for new applicants to submit initial applications and apply for EADs.
This extension and redesignation does not apply to individuals who were not already in the United States on June 3, 2024. The Department of Homeland Security will continue to enforce U.S. laws and policies in the Florida Straits, the Caribbean region and the Southwest border. Since the “Securing the Border” Presidential Proclamation and Interim Final Rule were issued in early June, more than 24,000 non-citizens have been deported or removed to more than 20 countries. U.S. policy is to remove non-citizens who have no legal basis to remain in the U.S., and all irregular migration journeys, particularly sea routes, are extremely dangerous and often result in loss of life.
For more information, visit USCIS.gov for details on eligibility, application processes and deadlines for TPS extension and redesignation for Haiti.
Immigration: New TPS extension and redesignation for Haiti
