As a result of the terrible living conditions in Haiti, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the nation has been extended by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for an additional eighteen months, starting on February 4th, 2023, and ending on August 3rd, 2024. Haiti is also being reclassified for TPS by DHS, which opens the door for Haitian citizens living in the United States as of November 6th, 2022, to apply for first TPS, as long as they meet all the eligibility requirements. A crucial aspect to remember is that Haitians who enter the country after November 6th, 2022 are not eligible for TPS and will be deported along with everyone else who enters the country without legal authorization.
Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro N. Mayorkas extended and reclassified Haiti for TPS following discussions with interagency partners regarding the transient conditions in Haiti, including a protracted political crisis, gang crime activity that worsened a dire economic situation, as well as a lack of access to food, water, fuel, and health care during a resurgence of cholera, and lastly the recent catastrophic earthquakes. These extreme conditions are what made it necessary for the U.S. to provide the humanitarian aid they are currently doing so in order to bring relief to Haitian nationals who are already present in the United States.
An important thing to note is that this extension does not apply to all Haitian nationals. For example, those who obtained their first TPS status at the corresponding redesignation in 2021 or 2022 and who had not previously had TPS are ineligible for the most recent extension.
