On November 10th, we posted on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) ending for Nicaragua, and hypothesized that it could soon be terminated for Haiti as well.

This week the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that yes, it would be terminating the TPS designation for Haiti. The nearly 60,000 Haitians who are currently present in the U.S. in TPS have until July 22, 2019 to either depart or to find another way to remain here lawfully under our immigration laws. You can read more here:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-to-end-provisional-residency-protection-for-50000-haitians/2017/11/20/fa3fdd86-ce4a-11e7-9d3a-bcbe2af58c3a_story.html?utm_term=.fcdda4c98b5b

For someone from Haiti who has been residing in the U.S. in TPS for years, this may be a terrifying prospect. The good news is that other legal immigration avenues may be available for a person in this situation. For example, if an individual is married to a U.S. citizen, one option may be an application for permanent residency (a “green card”) with the spouse serving as the sponsor. If the individual has been a victim of crime while in the U.S., they may be eligible for a U visa, which is a path to a green card.

It is important to meet with an immigration attorney as soon as possible to learn about the viability and risks and benefits of other immigration paths. Please contact us at theteam@huwelaw.com or 415-496-9040 to schedule an initial legal evaluation.