Democratic MP Cori Bush of Missouri brandishes a sign while parliamentarians and members of the Haitian Caucus condemn hate speech and misinformation about Haitian immigrants, in the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Friday, September 20, 2024. (Photo AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
Washington, April 15, 2026.- The House of Representatives of the United States took a key step in favour of Haitian immigrants by voting this Wednesday to advance a bill to extend the Temporary Protection Status (TPS) granted to them.
This text was submitted via a « discharge petition » initiated by the Massachusetts Democratic Representative, Ayanna Pressley. Last month, this approach had already reached the required threshold of 218 signatures, including those of four Republican elected officials, thus forcing its inclusion on the agenda for a vote.
During the election, a majority of representatives voted in favour of advancing the bill, with significant support from some Republicans. A total of six Republican Party members voted in favour of the text: Don Bacon (Nebraska), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania), Mike Lawler (New York), María Elvira Salazar (Florida), Carlos Giménez (Florida) and Nicole Malliotakis (New York). The first four were already among the signatories of the initial petition.
The bill plans to extend the GST for Haitian nationals for a period of three years, until April 2029. This measure aims to provide legal stability for tens of thousands of Haitians living in the United States, in a context of continued insecurity and humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
A fragile status under Trump administration
This legislative initiative comes in a context where the GST of Haitians has been particularly weakened in recent years, notably under the administration of Donald Trump (2017-2021).
In 2017, the Department of Internal Security (DHS) announced the gradual end of the GST granted to Haitians, believing that the conditions in Haiti, originally justifying this status after the 2010 earthquake, no longer met the eligibility criteria. This decision provided for a final deadline in July 2019, exposing tens of thousands of beneficiaries to the risk of expulsion.
The Trump administration then launched a broader immigration restriction policy, seeking to end several temporary protection programmes for different countries. However, these decisions have been challenged in court, resulting in a series of judicial blockages that have temporarily maintained the GST for Haitians.
Subsequently, conditions in Haiti, aggravated by political instability, natural disasters and the rise of gang violence, led to new designations and extensions of the GST under the Biden administration.
Still a sensitive issue
The House's vote represents an important step forward, but the legislative process is still far from complete. The text will also have to be examined by the Senate prior to any enactment.
In a highly polarized US political climate on migration issues, the future of the GST for Haitians remains uncertain. However, this vote sends a strong political signal in favour of maintaining this protection for a particularly vulnerable community.
W.E
