Trump administration ends Haiti TPS, offers $1,000 and flight to those who leave

The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it will terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, requiring Haitian nationals currently enrolled in the program to leave the United States by Feb. 3, 2026, unless they have another legal immigration status.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is offering those who leave voluntarily a free one-way flight, a $1,000 payment and “potential future opportunities” for legal immigration to the U.S.

The decision, posted in the Federal Register, follows a review by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and consultations with other government agencies. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem concluded that Haiti no longer meets the statutory criteria for TPS, a humanitarian program that allows nationals from designated countries to live and work in the U.S. if their home countries are facing conflict or disaster. 

“Allowing Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is inconsistent with U.S. national interests,” the notice stated.

TPS was first extended to Haitians in 2010 following the catastrophic earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. The program has since been renewed multiple times in response to Haiti’s ongoing political instability, natural disasters and insecurity. The Biden administration expanded eligibility in 2021 following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and the August 2021 earthquake, bringing the total number of protected Haitians to an estimated 348,000.

This marks the second time the Trump administration has attempted to end Haiti’s TPS designation. A previous effort in November 2017 was blocked by federal courts. With President Donald Trump now in his second term, the administration is pursuing a broader immigration agenda that includes winding down humanitarian protections.

According to DHS, Haitian TPS holders can use the CBP One mobile app to schedule voluntary departure. Participants will receive a complimentary commercial flight to Haiti, a $1,000 exit stipend and will not face immigration penalties that could impact future visa applications.

The offer is unprecedented in its scope for Haitians and is part of a broader self-deportation program launched in May 2025 that DHS called “historic”, though officials have not clarified how the payments will be distributed or which visa categories may be open to returnees.

Advocates say the incentive does little to address safety concerns for those returning to a country still grappling with violence, displacement and a political vacuum. The U.S. State Department currently advises American citizens against travelling to Haiti due to “grave insecurity, gang violence, [and] socio-economic collapse.”

This is a developing story.

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