Haitian Consulate encourages passports as TPS for Haitians comes to an end

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — With Temporary Protected Status for Haitians coming to an end, community leaders are urging Haitian nationals to obtain a Haitian passport as soon as possible.

CBS Miami reports that, according to the Consulate General of Haiti, 257 Haitians are currently in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. In response, Consul General Yverick Delerme Cyril is urging Haitians to carry proper identification at all times.

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Cyril told CBS Miami that having a Haitian passport could be important for individuals who are detained by immigration authorities and need to verify their identity. As the TPS comes to, Haitian immigrants could also see their American issued identification expire, which is the consul general is asking all Haitians, including Haitian Americans, to obtain their passport.

According to the Haitian Consulate, passport applications can be started online at cgmiami.gouv.ht before the process is completed. CBS Miami also reported that the consulate is considered a safe zone from immigration enforcement. Once the process is complete, passports can be mailed directly to applicants’ homes, meaning they only need to visit the consulate once.

Officials are also urging anyone who is detained by ICE, or whose family member has been detained, to contact the Haitian Consulate at 305-916-8184.