The end of TPS threatens thousands of Haitians in Miami: Returning is a death sentence'

"This is a disaster for me. I'm the only person in charge of my children. I work to pay the bills, and they have no one else to care for them. I have no family in Haiti. My father died when I was already living here. My children cry every time I tell them we have to think calmly because we don't know what's going to happen, says Derious, 52."

"For years, Derious cleaned hotel rooms, but then she took a croupier course and now works at a casino north of Miami. Three years ago, she bought a house in Port St. Lucie, north of Palm Beach on the peninsula's east coast, where prices were more affordable. She says that between her job and the house, she pays about $15,000 a year in taxes. We work very hard for this, and we deserve better treatment. We came looking for a better life. If my country were doing well, I wouldn't have come, she says."

"At the end of last month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that Haiti no longer meets the requirements for TPS, which expires on February 3, 2026. The government maintains that allowing Haitians to remain temporarily in the United States is incompatible with national interests and urged beneficiaries who do not have another legal path to prepare to leave the country, including through self-deportation via the CBP Home app, which offers a free flight and $3,000 until the end of the year."

Department of Homeland Security determined that Haiti no longer meets Temporary Protected Status requirements, with TPS set to expire February 3, 2026, affecting about 350,000 beneficiaries. Many affected Haitians live in South Florida and lack clear legal avenues to remain. DHS urged beneficiaries without other legal paths to prepare to leave, offering self-deportation via the CBP Home app with a free flight and $3,000 through year-end. Families face potential loss of homes, employment, and stability after years of work and tax contributions, and many worry about the welfare and futures of their U.S.-citizen children.

Read at english.elpais.com