On November 20, 2017, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine C. Duke announced that the DHS will terminate the designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) [PDF version]. The termination will have a delayed effective date of 18 months, meaning that the TPS designation for Haiti will expire on July 22, 2019.

In May, we discussed the announcement by then-Secretary John F. Kelly that the DHS was leaning toward terminating the TPS designation for Haiti. Since that announcement, the DHS undertook a review process which led to Acting Secretary Duke’s determination that the conditions in Haiti do not warrant its continued designation for TPS. Haiti was designated for TPS on January 21, 2010, and it was re-designated for TPS on July 23, 2011.

Beneficiaries of TPS Haiti will be permitted to re-register for TPS, if otherwise eligible, for the applicable re-registration periods. The DHS will post details about the termination of Haiti TPS and re-registration in subsequent Federal Register notices. Current beneficiaries of Haiti TPS should consult with an experienced immigration attorney regarding any questions about their immigration situations. Individuals on TPS from Haiti who want to remain in the United States beyond July 2019 should consult with an attorney to learn if they may be eligible for an immigration status beyond that date. Individuals who either intend to return to Haiti or who may be otherwise unable to procure status in the United States should make plans to return to depart under the assumption that TPS for Haiti will be terminated in accord with the DHS announcement.

We will update the website with more information on the termination of TPS Haiti once the associated Federal Register notice is released.