The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published a Federal Register notice ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, with the designation now set to expire on 3 February 2026. Acting DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said Haiti “no longer faces the extraordinary and temporary conditions” that originally justified the program, a position at odds with United-Nations data showing record gang violence and the displacement of more than 1.4 million Haitians this year.
TPS has allowed an estimated 340,000 Haitian citizens to live and work lawfully in the United States, many of whom have established families, bought homes, and filled critical jobs in healthcare and hospitality. Employers will now face a 12-month countdown to replace or sponsor these workers through alternative visa channels—an especially steep challenge given the 65 % rejection rate in this year’s H-1B lottery.
![Trump Administration Terminates Temporary Protected Status for 340,000 Haitian Nationals]()
Immigration attorneys expect a surge of late-stage green-card filings and humanitarian parole requests. However, because TPS holders do not accrue unlawful presence, many will first need provisional waivers to overcome prior visa overstays—adding months and thousands of dollars to the process. Corporations with large Haitian workforces should begin contingency planning immediately, including reviewing I-9 records and updating global-mobility budgets to reflect possible relocation or severance costs.
Advocacy groups, including the American Immigration Lawyers Association, have already signaled intent to sue, citing procedural flaws similar to those that blocked earlier attempts to end TPS. A preliminary injunction could preserve the status quo, but companies cannot count on litigation alone. Employers should build a dual-track strategy: prepare workers for departure while simultaneously supporting any court-ordered reprieve.
From a policy perspective, the move underscores the Trump administration’s broader effort to restrict humanitarian pathways and align employment-based immigration more closely with “merit-based” criteria. Multinationals should monitor the Federal Register for further TPS terminations (Myanmar’s designation is already under review) and budget for rapid-response legal costs as humanitarian programs come under renewed scrutiny.
TPS has allowed an estimated 340,000 Haitian citizens to live and work lawfully in the United States, many of whom have established families, bought homes, and filled critical jobs in healthcare and hospitality. Employers will now face a 12-month countdown to replace or sponsor these workers through alternative visa channels—an especially steep challenge given the 65 % rejection rate in this year’s H-1B lottery.
Immigration attorneys expect a surge of late-stage green-card filings and humanitarian parole requests. However, because TPS holders do not accrue unlawful presence, many will first need provisional waivers to overcome prior visa overstays—adding months and thousands of dollars to the process. Corporations with large Haitian workforces should begin contingency planning immediately, including reviewing I-9 records and updating global-mobility budgets to reflect possible relocation or severance costs.
Advocacy groups, including the American Immigration Lawyers Association, have already signaled intent to sue, citing procedural flaws similar to those that blocked earlier attempts to end TPS. A preliminary injunction could preserve the status quo, but companies cannot count on litigation alone. Employers should build a dual-track strategy: prepare workers for departure while simultaneously supporting any court-ordered reprieve.
From a policy perspective, the move underscores the Trump administration’s broader effort to restrict humanitarian pathways and align employment-based immigration more closely with “merit-based” criteria. Multinationals should monitor the Federal Register for further TPS terminations (Myanmar’s designation is already under review) and budget for rapid-response legal costs as humanitarian programs come under renewed scrutiny.
