A profound sense of anxiety has gripped many within the Haitian community in the United States, as their immigration status hangs in unsettling uncertainty.
On Tuesday, a federal judge in New York provided a temporary reprieve, blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than half a million Haitians already residing in the US. This crucial legal status was initially established following Haiti’s devastating 2010 earthquake and had been renewed multiple times since.
The Biden administration had previously extended Haiti’s TPS status through at least February 3, 2026, citing ongoing challenges such as gang violence, political unrest, a major earthquake in 2021, and several other contributing factors, as detailed in court documents.
However, the Department of Homeland Security delivered a sharp blow last week by announcing the termination of TPS for Haitians, a measure slated to become effective on September 2, potentially setting the stage for deportations.
This announcement resonated deeply within the community, hitting individuals like Sun-G, a barber in Springfield, Ohio, who himself is on TPS.
“I was expecting that they might shorten the TPS validity period […] or even raise the application fee, which would’ve made it harder for some people to afford. But at least we would’ve had the option to renew. I never expected them to terminate it completely,” he shared. Sun-G reflected on the difficult choice to leave his homeland: “I know I have a country. But do you think if my country were stable, I would have left it at my age to start over somewhere else?”
The pervasive uncertainty has already begun to impact his livelihood, as many of his clients who were on temporary immigration status parole have reportedly lost their jobs and can no longer afford regular haircuts.
Sun-G articulated the emotional toll, stating, “You’ve built your own business, working hard to make it succeed. Suddenly, it feels like all the effort you put in means nothing, like you’ve been standing still this whole time. Now, it’s as if you have to start all over again—from zero.”
The backdrop to this anxiety remains Haiti’s dire situation, a nation still gripped by pervasive brutality and political unrest. According to the International Organisation for Migration, gang violence alone has displaced 1.3 million people across the country.
