By Mel Wilson, NASW Senior Policy Adviser
The recent decision by the Department of Homeland Security to rescind Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians and Venezuelans is not only a humanitarian misstep, but also a policy that undermines the very principles of compassion and refuge for which our nation stands. This move threatens to uproot hundreds of thousands who have built their lives in the United States, contributing to our communities and economy. As we delve into the implications of this decision, it becomes clear that rescinding TPS is not just a legal issue but a moral one, demanding our urgent attention and action.
The key details about the DHS decision on TPS is, first of all, a component of the Trump administration’s mass deportation strategy. More to the point, the administration’s move to roll back TPS protections for these two groups should be seen as a calculated action aimed at eliminating the TPS program altogether. The details of the DHS announcement include:
Haitians: DHS rescinded the Biden administration’s extension of Haiti’s TPS. This means the protections will end on August 3, 2025. The decision affects approximately 520,694 Haitians who were eligible for TPS as of July 2024.
Venezuelans: Similarly, the TPS for 340,000 Venezuelans was also rescinded earlier this month. The official end of TPS for Venezuelans will be April 5, 2025.
It is without a doubt that, once the deportation of nearly 1 million people begins, the level of economic pain and exposure to physical abuse which they will encounter in their countries of origin will be chilling. We need only to be reminded that the harsh conditions from which they fled will still exist upon their return. Perhaps — as is true in Haiti — the conditions will be worse. Simply put, with their decision to rescind TPS targeting Haitians and Venezuelans, President Trump and his DHS director, shows complete disdain for human rights and basic compassion — values that most Americans hold dearly.
What is equally disturbing is the laughable reasons the administration gave to justify its TPS pronouncement. They insisted that Haitians and Venezuelans no longer qualified for TPS because conditions in these countries had improved sufficiently to no longer warrant the special protections. They also claimed that the TPS program had been exploited, allowing individuals to remain in the U.S. for extended periods without a clear path to permanent residency.
According to reliable data, the average Haitian TPS recipient has lived in the United States for close to 20 years. While many Venezuelan TPS recipients — though the data are less exact— have been in the U.S for between 10 and 15 years. During that time, they have held jobs, attended schools and established themselves as respected citizens in American comminutes. All of which accentuates the tragedy of their impending deportation. It is highly improbable that the affected individuals and families will find employment, have access to elementary and secondary school education or live in communities where they may fear for their lives on a day-to-day basis.
The truth is— as the Trump administration must be aware — conditions in Venezuela and Haiti have in fact significantly deteriorated. This suggests that the administration is going ahead with deportation with the full knowledge that millions of people— including children— will be repatriated to a country in which they have likely not resided for many years.
With that in mind, we focus our concerns on the complex situation in which children in TPS families find themselves. By DHS policy, children who are U.S. citizens by birth are not subject to deportation. This is true even if their parents face deportation because of their TPS having been rescinded. However, TPS children who — for whatever reason—are deemed not to be U.S. citizens will be at risk of deportation along with their parents.
This, of course raises the specter family separation, which undoubtedly is the worst case outcome for these families. Therefore, it is important that all families under threat of deportation due to TPS revocation seek legal advice to understand their options and rights.
Please note that the impetus behind creating a national Temporary Protected Status program in the first place was driven by the embrace of human rights as a fundamental principle — not only nationally, but also internationally. This makes the Trump administration’s attack on TPS that much more galling. The administration’s new TPS policy prioritizes satisfying the far-right’s anti-immigrant and anti-migrant zealotry over the nation’s long-standing support of basic human rights.
Take Action
Urge your Members of Congress to Protect their Constituents. A flurry of Executive Orders from the Trump Administration have directly affected the clients that social workers serve. #NASW is pushing back on these harmful orders, and we ask you to join us by contacting your Members of Congress! Ask them to do their job and protect their constituents.
Here’s how you can find your elected officials here.
Other Resources:
Project 2025 on Social Safety Net: A Social Work Perspective Near Certain Cataclysmic
Consequences of a Mass Deportation Program
Trump administration’s immigration executive orders will harm families, children
Children Thrive Action Network
