Members of South Florida’s Haitian community are sounding the alarm after the Trump administration announced it will terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 350,000 Haitian immigrants living in the United States — a decision that could leave thousands of local families vulnerable to deportation in less than 60 days.
Administration officials have urged TPS holders to “self-deport” if they want to avoid forced removal. For many Haitians who have lived in the U.S. for decades, the announcement felt like a devastating and disorienting blow.
“For me and for many, it’s just a death sentence,” said Farah Larriex, who has lived in South Florida for 20 years and is among the hundreds of thousands whose protections are now set to expire on Feb. 3, 2026.
Larriex rejected the administration’s assertion that Haiti is safe for returning nationals. “This idea that Haitians can safely return home is a big lie,” she said.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem acknowledged Haiti’s ongoing political upheaval and humanitarian crisis, but the Department of Homeland Security’s termination notice framed the decision as one driven by national interest.
“While the current situation in Haiti is concerning,” the notice states, “the United States must prioritize its national interests, and permitting Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the U.S. is contrary to the U.S. national interest.”
Larriex said the timing, arriving just before the Thanksgiving holiday, felt particularly painful.
“It’s ungrateful,” she said, describing the announcement as dismissive of the Haitian community’s contributions to the country.
Local activists echoed her frustration, pointing to rampant violence and instability in Haiti, where armed criminal groups control large swaths of the country.
“We have daily situations of rape, kidnapping, or murder,” said community advocate Paul Mamphy. He noted that even as TPS is being terminated, the administration recently designated two Haitian gangs as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, an acknowledgment, he said, that the situation remains life-threatening.
Mamphy said Haitian advocacy groups plan to pursue legal action and will unveil their strategy next week. He emphasized that Haitians living in the U.S. are deeply woven into the national workforce.
“We work very hard here in South Florida and throughout the country, putting food on the table, building the buildings you see, working in hospitality, elder care, and restaurants,” he said.
Many TPS holders have built decades-long lives in the U.S., raising families and establishing careers without any permanent path to legal status. When asked why so many longtime residents remain on temporary protections, Larriex pointed to years of gridlock in Washington.
“We didn’t choose to be undocumented,” she said. “For many years, both parties failed us. They failed to pass immigration reform, and that’s why so many people got stuck in the middle.”
Community leaders say the fight is far from over. A coalition of Haitian organizations plans to hold a news conference Monday to outline next steps and mobilize public pressure to preserve TPS, a program many in South Florida say is critical for thousands of families who have nowhere safe to return.
