SAN DIEGO (KGTV) More than 300,000 Haitians in the U.S. are set to lose their temporary protected status Monday, leaving a community gripped by fear of deportation and ICE enforcement.The expiration follows a Supreme Court ruling last month that allowed the Trump administration to end the legal protections for Haitian immigrants."The feeling is anxiety really, there's a lot of fear that is spreading around," said Wismick Saint-Jean, a Haitian San Diego-based immigration attorney.Saint-Jean represents roughly 600 Haitians with TPS nationwide. He said he is worried about reports that ICE operations will now target the Haitian community, including those with pending immigration cases, such as asylum claims."Because we know this administration deported people even though they have immigration benefits pending," Saint-Jean said.The Department of Homeland Security posted to X Monday, saying temporary protected status is "exactly that, temporary." The post included an image of a web browser displaying the message: "Your free trial of America has ended."Guerline Jozef, president and co-founder of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a San Diego-based nonprofit that advocates for Haitian immigrants across the country, said she spent Monday meeting with Haitians in New York and fielding calls from people too afraid to leave their homes."The streets are empty.
Everybody's staying home," Jozef said.She described one woman's reaction to waking up without legal status."She woke up and said to herself, according to the U.S. government, I woke up illegal," Jozef said.Both Saint-Jean and Jozef argue that Haitians are the backbone of many U.S. industries and that returning them to Haiti, a country they describe as dangerous and in turmoil, would put lives at risk."I often say that in court that Haiti is no country to send anyone back.
It is a death sentence," Saint-Jean said.Both are working with Haitians to create family plans in case people are detained by ICE. They are also urging Congress to pass SB 4814, legislation that would protect Haitians in the U.S.DHS says enforcement will be carried out and that Haitians can receive a $2,600 check and a free flight home.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Advocates argue that the conditions in the country haven’t improved enough for migrants to go home, but DHS says that the benefit was always meant to be temporary.
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