US Department of Homeland Security Extends TPS Protections to Haitian Nationals

WASHINGTON, DC – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended its Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for recipient citizens of six countries including Haiti. 

In a statement, the DHS said the extension, that is also applicable to citizens of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Sudan and Honduras is “to ensure its continued compliance” with orders from two ongoing court cases and was consistent with DHS practice over the past four years”.

According to the DHS, the document that was sent to the Federal Register, should be officially released on Wednesday. 

The TPS program provides beneficiaries with work permits and can protect them from deportation if their country-of-origin experiences extraordinary events such as natural disasters or armed conflicts. 

In response, Senator Alex Padilla who chairs a judiciary subcommittee on immigration, the extension is a huge relief for those on the program. 

He said the move is a step in the right direction but added that more permanent protections were needed. 

Created in 1990, TPS is a deportation relief program that can be extended  to nationals of countries beset by armed conflict, natural disasters or other humanitarian crises.