Haitian TPS expiration puts thousands of South Florida residents in uncertainty
Key Points(5)
- Thousands of Haitians in South Florida are facing uncertainty as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was set to expire Monday (July 27), potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of Haitian nationals across the United States.
- Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said Haiti’s TPS designation and related benefits were originally scheduled to terminate on February 3, 2026, after the Department of Homeland Security determined that Haiti no longer met the conditions for the designation.
- However, a court order temporarily blocked the termination, allowing certain protections and work permits to remain valid until July 27, 2026.
- USCIS said employment authorization documents (EADs) issued under Haiti’s TPS designation with previous expiration dates — including those set for February 3, 2026, August 3, 2025, August 3, 2024, June 30, 2024, February 3, 2023, and earlier dates — remain extended under the court order.
- The agency instructed employers completing Form I-9 employment verification to use “as per court order” in the expiration date field in Section 1 and enter July 27, 2026, in Section 2, with a note in the additional information box.
Thousands of Haitians in South Florida are facing uncertainty as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is set to expire Monday (July 27), potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of Haitian nationals across the United States.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said Haiti’s TPS designation and related benefits were originally scheduled to terminate on February 3, 2026, after the Department of Homeland Security determined that Haiti no longer met the conditions for the designation.
However, a court order temporarily blocked the termination, allowing certain protections and work permits to remain valid until July 27, 2026.
USCIS said employment authorization documents (EADs) issued under Haiti’s TPS designation with previous expiration dates — including those set for February 3, 2026, August 3, 2025, August 3, 2024, June 30, 2024, February 3, 2023, and earlier dates — remain extended under the court order.
The agency instructed employers completing Form I-9 employment verification to use “as per court order” in the expiration date field in Section 1 and enter July 27, 2026, in Section 2, with a note in the additional information box.
The expiration has drawn concern in South Florida, where large Haitian communities could be affected.
Palm Beach County is home to one of the largest Haitian populations in the country, with an estimated 68,400 Haitian residents, ranking third statewide and nationally behind Broward County, which has approximately 86,100 Haitian residents, and Miami-Dade County, with about 78,800.
Across the United States, an estimated 350,000 Haitians have relied on TPS, a program that provides temporary protection from deportation and work authorization for nationals of countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions.
Haitian TPS holders and advocates have argued that ongoing instability, gang violence, political turmoil, and humanitarian challenges in Haiti continue to make the country unsafe for large-scale returns.
The latest USCIS guidance said the extension of work authorization remains subject to further court action and advised TPS beneficiaries and employers to monitor USCIS updates for any changes.
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