Guerline Jozef
Washington, 20 January 2026.- While the U.S. administration plans to terminate the Temporary Protection Status (TPS) for Haiti on February 3, 2026, more than 370,000 to 500,000 Haitians living in the United States are in a major uncertainty. Invited to the show Panel Magik on Magik 9, this Tuesday, Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, sounds the alarm and evokes a crucial judicial battle to avoid an unprecedented human crisis.
The possible termination of the Temporary Protection Status (TPS) for Haitians in the United States is a matter of deep concern to migrant organizations. According to Guerline Jozef, of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, between 370,000 and 500,000 Haitians are currently benefiting, directly or indirectly, from this mechanism of migration protection established after the devastating earthquake of 2010.
Contrary to some of the ideas received, the GST community is far from homogeneous. It includes Haitians who have been present in the United States for more than 20 or 30 years without regular status, but also those who arrived after 2010, especially between 2015 and today, by regular way or after crossing the Mexican-American border. All have, at some point, found in the GST protection against deportation and legal access to the labour market.
« Beneficiaries include doctors, nurses, drivers, agricultural workers, workers and industrial workers. They are people who actively contribute to the American economy. »stressed Guerline Jozef, stressing the fundamental role of the Haitian workforce in several key sectors.
In response to the announced decision to terminate the GST for Haiti, Haitian Bridge Alliance, along with other organizations, has initiated several legal remedies. Cases are currently pending before courts in Washington D.C. and California. In Washington, a judge granted the U.S. government a three-week period to legally justify the termination of the program, with a decision expected around January 26, 27, or 28, 2026.
However, Guerline Jozef calls for caution. No final decision has yet been made and, even in the event of a favourable judgement, the US government could appeal to the Supreme Court. « It's a battle, not yet a victory. », she warned.
Beyond the legal aspect, the human consequences are heavy. The end of the GST would expose hundreds of thousands of Haitian families to job loss, detention and deportation, aggravating the trauma already experienced by a community marked by exile, fear and anxiety. Haitian Bridge Alliance receives hundreds of calls each month, without sufficient resources to respond to all requests for assistance.
The organisation calls on the Haitian community to inform itself from reliable sources, to avoid false information disseminated especially on social networks, and to consult lawyers or recognized structures. It also urges solidarity and financial support in order to continue the fight for the protection of the rights of Haitian migrants.
W.A.
