Haitians Seek Canadian Refuge After Trump Ends TPS for 330,000 in the US
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 15
Haitians Seek Canadian Refuge After Trump Ends TPS for 330,000 in the US
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 15
Summary
1,734 Haitians sought protection in Canada in the first quarter, and migrant advocates and the RCMP say interest has risen since the U.S. ended TPS on Aug. 5.
More than 330,000 Haitians lost U.S. legal protection and work authorization after the Supreme Court fight ended, leaving many to choose between staying illegally, leaving voluntarily, or trying to rebuild elsewhere.
Canada offers no easy escape: under a 2023 border pact, most people caught crossing illegally are returned to U.S. custody, while those who avoid detection for two weeks can later apply for asylum.
The pressure is especially acute in places like Massachusetts, where about 45,000 Haitians lost TPS, including roughly 2,000 nursing-home workers, even as Haiti remains so dangerous that the U.S. warns Americans not to travel there.
Haitians with TPS contributed about $4.4 billion a year in U.S. taxes, underscoring how the policy shift is reshaping both migrant communities and local economies.