For thousands of Haitians in the U.S., end of protected status brings fear, grief and defiance
Haitian migrants in the U.S. are facing uncertainty and fear following the revocation of their Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Many express anxiety about potential deportation to a country currently destabilized by gang violence.
Why it matters
The policy change impacts the lives of 350,000 individuals and highlights the ongoing debate over immigration policy and humanitarian protections.
MIAMI — Herlain, a registered nurse who was born in Haiti, barely leaves her house these days.
The few times she has, she was terrified. She instructed her family members about how to record on their phones in case she gets detained by federal immigration authorities.
"You would think I was on the run," she told NPR. "Who am I on the run from? This is crazy!"
Even at home she fears strangers and refused to open the door to a salesman who requested water on a humid Florida day during a recent heatwave.
"That's not me. I'm a nurse, I help people," she recounted through tears.
Herlain, along with nearly 350,000 other Haitian migrants, lost her temporary protected status, or TPS, in July. She asked NPR to only use her first name because of her immigration status.
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