U.S. Rightfully Deports Haitians After TPS Ends, Enforcing Immigration Law
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Over 160 Haitians were returned to Cap-Haitien as the U.S. resumes deportations following the end of Temporary Protected Status, demonstrating a renewed commitment to upholding immigration laws and border security.
The United States has deported more than 160 Haitians to the northern city of Cap-Haitien on Thursday, marking the first such flight since a court decision appropriately ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for roughly 350,000 Haitians. The flight landed at Cap-Haitien International Airport, as Port-au-Prince’s main airport remains closed due to ongoing gang violence, a stark reminder of the instability in Haiti that makes strict immigration enforcement all the more necessary.
Most of the arrivals wore white clothing and covered their faces, with few willing to speak to reporters, reflecting the serious security challenges in Haiti. The group included former TPS holders and individuals who had completed prison sentences, as confirmed by Jean Négot Bonheur Delva, director general of Haiti’s National Office of Migration. The return of those who have served time in U.S. prisons is a step toward protecting American communities from further criminal activity.
"It is not the Haitian state that asks for them to be sent back," Delva said. "Our mission is to welcome migrants of forced return. … We welcome them with the aim of accompanying them to their home."
Delva noted that some deportees were not born in Haiti but are of Haitian descent, and that many plan to travel to the southern or western regions, which are reportedly controlled by armed groups. The Haitian government is providing each deportee with up to $65 and basic food and drink, and those unable to reach their homes immediately will be placed in secure shelters until relocation is possible.
The Supreme Court allowed the TPS program to end in June, affecting about one million people from multiple countries. A federal judge later lifted an injunction that had temporarily halted Haitian deportations, clearing the way for the recent flight and reaffirming the rule of law.
While human-rights groups and Haitian advocacy organizations claim that Haiti is unprepared to absorb the returnees, the U.S. must prioritize its own security and enforce immigration laws. Over half of Haiti’s 12 million residents are already dependent on humanitarian aid, but the responsibility for their welfare lies with the Haitian government and international organizations, not the American taxpayer. The Group Supporting Refugees and Returnees has raised concerns about government assistance, but the U.S. has fulfilled its legal obligations.
This flight was the first of its kind since December 2023, according to a monitoring organization tracking ICE deportation flights. Earlier in the day, U.S. immigration authorities also detained a well-known Haitian pastor and another Haitian man in Ohio, demonstrating a broader and necessary pattern of enforcement actions against Haitian migrants in the United States.