Op-Ed | Ending TPS for Haiti has grave consequences. Trump has the power to reverse it.
In 2006, Sara fled Haiti after her mother was gunned down by a gang member. Seeking safety from the violence in Haiti, Sara had no choice but to leave everything behind and start a new life.
Since arriving in New York, Sara gave birth to two children, built a career in the health care industry, joined the municipal workforce, and has become a valued member of her community and union, District Council 37 ASFCME (DC 37). Having Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections has provided her the pathway to a life of safety and opportunity.
Meanwhile, back in Haiti, 15 years after gang violence took Sara’s mother’s life, it tragically ended her brother’s, too. There is no family left in Haiti to which Sara can return.
Since 2022, increased gang violence has killed over 16,000 Haitians and displaced over 1.5 million people. Today, more than half of the population lack enough food to sustain them.
That’s why we are calling on the Trump Administration to redesignate TPS or grant Deferred Enforced Departure for Haiti so that the people who live here can remain safe in this country and continue to contribute to their communities.
Since TPS was designated for Haiti in 2010, natural disasters, political instability, and a lack of infrastructure to support recovery have exacerbated humanitarian conditions.
It is cruel and deeply unjust to force Haitian TPS holders to return to the dangerous conditions they escaped, and where they do not have the supportive networks they need. Even our State Department has advised people not to travel to Haiti, citing safety risks. Yet, the federal government intends to send Haitian New Yorkers like Sara directly into harm’s way.
For longtime TPS holders like Sara, the Trump Administration’s decision to end these protections are a betrayal and a shock. Haitian TPS holders contribute nearly $6 billion to the U.S. economy annually and support key sectors like healthcare and hospitality.
In New York, Haitian TPS holders contribute an estimated $1.1 billion each year to our local and state economies. Over 7,000 people work as caregivers, nurses, and nursing assistants. New York’s nursing homes and long-term care institutions are already facing severe staffing shortages, negatively affecting patient care.
The forced departure of Haitian TPS holders would disproportionately impact already vulnerable populations: older adults, disabled, and ailing New Yorkers who rely on their dedicated care.
After losing TPS and work authorization, Sara was forced to leave her stable job working with patients at a Brooklyn public hospital. Her savings are quickly running dry, while her bills continue to pile up. She no longer leaves the house out of fear of deportation. Sara’s greatest concern is how to protect and care for her two young children, who are now among the 25,000 U.S. citizen children who face poverty because of the Trump Administration’s decision to end TPS for Haiti.
Deporting Haitian TPS holders will disproportionately impact working families and the most vulnerable among us. As a nation, this is a moral and economic decision we cannot afford to make.
Like the millions of immigrants who came before them and made the United States their home, TPS holders belong here, in the neighborhoods they helped build, and the cities they strengthened.
As a city, we stand with Haitian New Yorkers, and we will continue to provide immigrants with the resources they need to stay safe. New Yorkers should call the City’s free, safe, and confidential Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 to get connected to trusted legal help in their preferred language.
New York has always been a city where immigrants come not only to build a better future for themselves, but a better future for everyone. That remains true today for Sara, her children, and the thousands of TPS holders who call our city home.
For the well-being of all New Yorkers, our economy, and our communities, President Trump must immediately restore their humanitarian protections.
Faiza N. Ali is the Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. Sara H. is a Haitian immigrant, city worker, and DC 37 member whose TPS protections have been revoked. Her name has been changed in this piece due to fears about her and her family’s safety.