On May 22, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced a new 18-month designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti. The effective date will be the date of publication of an upcoming Federal Register notice (FRN). This new TPS designation will enable Haitian nationals (and individuals without nationality who last resided in Haiti) residing in the United States as of May 21, 2021, to file initial applications for TPS, so long as they meet eligibility requirements.
Background
After consultation with interagency partners, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas decided to designate Haiti for TPS due to extraordinary and temporary conditions in Haiti that prevent nationals from returning safely, specifically, a political crisis and human rights abuses; serious security concerns; and the COVID-19 pandemic’s exacerbation of a dire economic situation and lack of access to food, water and health care. The persistent effects of the 2010 earthquake have also exacerbated the severity of extraordinary and temporary conditions in Haiti. The designation of Haiti for TPS also is not contrary to the national interest of the United States. A country may be designated for TPS based on one or more of the three statutory grounds for designation: ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or extraordinary and temporary conditions.
TPS will apply only to those individuals who are already residing in the United States as of May 21, 2021, and meet all other requirements.
More Information
Haiti’s 18-month designation will go into effect on the publication date of the FRN, which will provide instructions for applying for TPS and employment authorization documentation. Individuals eligible for TPS under Haiti’s new designation must apply for TPS with USCIS within the registration period. Once the FRN is published, we will conduct outreach regarding TPS for Haiti to provide information and answer questions from the public.
USCIS link: https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status