The United States has ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 300,000 Haitians, leaving them at risk of deportation as gang violence and instability grip their home country. The policy change, which took effect Monday, also affects approximately 6,000 Syrians and has prompted warnings from advocates about a potential surge in asylum seekers attempting to reach Canada.
Why the US decision leaves Haitians vulnerable
TPS had allowed Haitians to live and work legally in the U.S. since 2010, following a devastating earthquake. Its termination means those covered by the program now face detention or removal, despite ongoing security threats in Haiti. Frantz André of the Action Committee for People Without Status described the situation as dire: “Now 350,000 people are officially non-status or illegal, so it’s going to be a fair game for ICE and Haitians are gonna be the first ones targeted.”
Haiti’s crisis has worsened in recent years, with armed gangs displacing thousands and controlling large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Immigration lawyer Fedora Mathieu called the U.S. decision “inhumane,” noting that many Haitians “have to flee because otherwise, if they are at the wrong place, at the wrong time, they’re gonna get killed.”
Canada’s role and legal barriers for asylum seekers
Montreal-based advocates anticipate some Haitians may attempt to cross into Canada to avoid deportation, though legal obstacles remain. The Safe Third Country Agreement requires most refugee claimants arriving at official border crossings to seek asylum in the first country they enter—either the U.S. or Canada. Exceptions exist for unaccompanied minors and those with close family ties in Canada.
Recent federal legislation has further restricted options for those entering irregularly. Julia Sande of Amnesty International argued Canada should withdraw from the Safe Third Country Agreement, stating: “Canada is violating the rights of people by sending them back to the States, knowing there’s a real risk.” Human smugglers, meanwhile, are reportedly exploiting the demand, charging thousands of dollars for unofficial border crossings.
Calls for Canada to create special protections
Advocates are urging Ottawa to establish a dedicated program for Haitians leaving the U.S., citing their long-term residency and skills. Many have lived in the U.S. for over a decade, raising families and contributing to the workforce. Without intervention, they face being returned to a country where, as Mathieu emphasized, “the security situation is catastrophic.”
What happens next remains uncertain. Observers will watch whether Canada adjusts its policies or if the U.S. decision triggers a rise in irregular border crossings, as advocates predict.
