A federal judge is set to rule on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitians on Monday, the protection set to expire.
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The judge on Friday temporarily delayed the end of TPS for Haitians, which had been scheduled to expire that day. The ruling effects approximately 350,000 Haitians who rely on TPS.
Republican members of Congress from South Florida have urged the Trump administration to extend the program.
“I do believe that the TPS needs to be extended,” said Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Florida, on Friday. “TPS needs to be upheld, and those who have TPS should continue in the country contributing to those jobs that they have been fulfilling up to now, and those employers need them.”
Rep. Carlos Giménez, R-Florida, also argued that conditions in Haiti continue to justify the program.
“We don’t see any difference in the political situation in Haiti,” Giménez said. “Like I said, some people in the administration seem to think that somehow you say TPS is a bad word. It’s not a bad word. It’s there for a reason. And Haiti and Venezuela are the prime examples of why TPS was established in the first place.”
Earlier this year, the House passed legislation that would extend TPS for Haiti. Ten Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the measure, including all three Republican members of Congress representing South Florida.
Local political and immigration advocates gathered Wednesday to discuss legal and political options available to TPS recipients.
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They argue Haiti remains in the midst of a severe security crisis, with gangs controlling large portions of the country and widespread violence affecting daily life. The U.S. State Department currently maintains a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Haiti.
Advocates say those realities underscore the need to maintain protections for Haitians living and working legally in the United States.
The push to extend TPS also encountered a setback in the Senate.
On Wednesday, Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri objected to a bipartisan effort to pass legislation extending TPS for Haitians, blocking the bill from receiving immediate approval.
If eventually approved by the Senate, the legislation would extend TPS protections for Haitians through April 2029.
As uncertainty continues, immigration attorneys are advising TPS recipients to prepare for the possibility that protections could end.
Vanessa Joseph with Catholic Legal Services encouraged families to gather important documents and make plans for their finances, businesses, and children.
“Having documents in order that helped people to understand what will happen to your children, your business, your money, your bank account, anything that you have, your car, your house, we want to make sure that people are prepared for the worst,” Joseph said.
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