US Department of Homeland Security Decision to Terminate TPS Leads to Widespread Condemnation

NEW YORK, New York – New York Attorney General Letitia James and the Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair,  Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, have joined in the condemnation of the decision by the United States government to terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti amid the ongoing escalating humanitarian catastrophe in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem last Friday announced the TPS termination, leaving over 500,000 Haitians without work permits and facing deportation.

The temporary parole program will expire for Haitians on August 3, 2025, and the termination will take effect on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

“I am devastated by this cruel and ill-timed decision, and my eyes are welling with tears for the thousands of Haitian families who will be affected—many of whom have lived in the United States for years, raised US-born children, and become foundational members of our communities,” Bichotte Hermelyn, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

The New York State Assembly member said this is a grave mistake that will have devastating and far-reaching consequences, not only for Haitian nationals, but for the moral standing of the United States.

“Countless Haitian immigrants who have built their lives here, through honest work, service, and sacrifice, are now being told that their presence is no longer welcome. They are being asked to return to a country in collapse and disarray not by choice, but by force. This is not just about immigration policy. It is about justice, humanity, and our national identity,” Bichotte Hermelyn said.

Attorney General James, who is considered a national leader in legal action against the TPS revocation, forcefully denounced the sudden termination.

“The federal administration’s decision to end Haitian TPS is wrong and shameful,” she told CMC, adding “this cruel action puts our Haitian neighbors in danger, tears families apart, and damages our economy.

“The Haitian community is a rich source of pride and strength for New York, and I will continue to fight for their rights and well-being, alongside Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn.

She said that the Department of Homeland Security has stated that conditions in Haiti have improved, noting “but that assertion is dangerously detached from the truth.

“Haiti remains under a Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’ advisory by the US, Department of State, citing life-threatening gang violence, kidnappings, and the absence of any reliable government infrastructure.

“If our own federal government deems Haiti unsafe for American citizens to visit, how can we justify deporting vulnerable families to the very same conditions?” asked James, urging the Trump administration to “promptly reconsider this decision and extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals.

Additionally, the New York Attorney General urged the US Congress to enact legislation that grants permanent legal status to TPS holders, who have “consistently demonstrated their value.”

On Sunday, Brooklyn District Leader Anthony Beckford, the son of Jamaican immigrants, also condemned Trump’s termination of TPS for Haitians.

“This latest attack against Black immigrants is what it is truly seen as – racism,” Beckford, district leader for the 43rd Assembly District in Brooklyn, told CMC.

“This administration has made it their mission to attack, displace and separate those who work tirelessly to provide for their families and who have contributed so much to this country.

“I denounce the termination of TPS and call on this administration to cease and desist on its bigoted agenda. I am the son of Afro-Caribbean Immigrants from Jamaica, and I stand in solidarity and strength with my Haitian constituents, friends and colleagues in government, throughout my district, as well as throughout New York and this country.

“We do not see this type of action being used against non-Black and Brown immigrants, and it is clear that this is targeted and not constructed based on facts or reality. This is the moment where permanent citizenship needs to be granted to all TPS holders.

“We will not stop fighting against this injustice and will make sure that we remain on the right side of history,” he added.

Noem said on Friday that the decision to terminate TPS for Haiti “restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is actually temporary.”

A DHS spokesperson said in a statement that “the environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home.

Noem said that permitting Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is “contrary to the national interest of the United States.

“Haitian nationals returning home are encouraged to use the US Customs and Border Protection Home app to report their departure from the United States,” the spokesperson said.