132 Haitians, including 6 children, arrive in Cap-Haïtien on deportation flight

(CAP-HAÏTIEN, HAITI) A U.S. charter carrying 132 Haitians — including 6 children — touched down in Cap-Haïtien, marking the visible start of a new wave of deportation flights after the TPS termination for Haitians took effect. The arrivals come as the Trump administration moves forward with large-scale removals following the official expiration of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti on August 3, 2025, and the start of removals as early as September 2, 2025. Homeland Security officials have confirmed that deportations are ongoing, with more flights planned in the coming weeks.

The policy shift affects a broad Haitian community in the United States 🇺🇸. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the end of TPS covers more than 500,000 people who had lived and worked under the humanitarian program first granted after the 2010 earthquake. As of September 12, 2025, officials say protections have ended, and Haitians without another lawful path — for example, those who cannot qualify for asylum or permanent residence — are now subject to arrest and removal.

DHS has urged former TPS holders to use the CBP Home mobile app to arrange voluntary return but warned that those who do not self-deport face detention and forced removal.

Policy shift and timeline

DHS announced the end of TPS for Haitians on June 28, 2025, setting in motion one of the largest status rollbacks for a single nationality in recent years. The administration has framed the decision as part of a broader push for tougher interior enforcement, with senior officials calling the campaign the largest deportation effort in U.S. history.

Deportation flights began shortly after the early September deadline, and the aircraft that arrived in Cap-Haïtien forms part of this wider operation.

Key legal and policy milestones:
1. June 28, 2025 — DHS announces end of TPS for Haitians.
2. May 2025 — The Supreme Court allows the administration to proceed with ending TPS for several nationalities, including Haitians.
3. August 3, 2025 — Official expiration date of TPS for Haiti.
4. September 2, 2025 (early September) — Removals may begin; flights start soon after.
5. September 12, 2025 — DHS states protections have ended for affected Haitians.

The policy rests on two pillars: the administration’s claim that conditions in Haiti have improved and a legal footing strengthened by recent court decisions. The Supreme Court’s May ruling narrowed legal options for families who had hoped for court-ordered extensions or a political compromise.

Despite DHS’s position, the U.S. State Department continues to maintain a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Haiti, citing extreme violence, kidnappings, and civil unrest. This split in federal messaging highlights tensions between enforcement decisions and travel/security guidance. For official guidance on conditions, see the U.S. State Department travel advisory for Haiti: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/haiti-travel-advisory.html.

On-the-ground impact in Cap-Haïtien

The flight into Cap-Haïtien, a northern entry point far from Port-au-Prince, reflects how deportation logistics are adapting to Haiti’s internal security realities.

• The presence of 6 children among those removed highlights the family stakes behind the numbers.
• Returnees are stepping into a fragile setting with limited jobs, tight housing, and overstretched local services.
• Many arriving after years — in some cases more than a decade — in the U.S. will face immediate hurdles: loss of steady work, efforts to rejoin family scattered across borders, and finding safe shelter.

Advocates warn of potential family separations as the U.S. government has not ruled out separating mixed-status families, including cases where U.S.-born children may remain while parents are expelled. The administration acknowledges difficult tradeoffs but says removals will continue unless individuals qualify for another legal pathway.

Practical changes for Haitians in the U.S. now that TPS is ended:
– Not authorized to work if they do not hold another status.
– At risk of arrest and deportation.
– DHS recommends arranging voluntary return via the CBP Home app to avoid detention.
– Those who do not depart voluntarily may face ICE raids, detention, and forced removal.

Legal routes exist in theory but are limited given the Supreme Court’s decision and the administration’s enforcement posture.

Legal and political fault lines

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has argued that “conditions in Haiti have improved,” a position used to justify ending TPS and moving forward with removals. The administration frames the move as restoring integrity to a system it views as temporary in nature.

Officials have also indicated that enforcement will not be limited to Haitians; other nationalities — including people from Venezuela, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Lebanon — have been referenced as part of a broader strategy.

Criticism and concerns:
– Critics in Congress and immigrant advocacy groups call the policy harsh and poorly timed.
– Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Co-Chair of the House Haiti Caucus, condemned the move as “policy violence,” warning returns could be a “death sentence” for some deported Haitians.
– Advocates highlight the State Department’s Level 4 warning and argue forced returns may conflict with international standards prohibiting returns to danger.

Economic and social stakes:
– The American Immigration Council estimates a mass deportation drive of this scale could cost $315 billion over a decade, disrupting workplaces and local economies dependent on long-settled immigrants.
– Analysis by VisaVerge.com warns of employer losses of trained staff and weakened community ties; schools and clinics could face ripple effects from sudden departures.

Humanitarian groups are preparing for more arrivals in Cap-Haïtien and beyond. Returnees often carry U.S. documents—rent receipts, school records, proof of church membership, letters from employers—and must rebuild in a country described by U.S. officials as facing “deep political instability, gang violence, and widespread poverty.”

Operational and humanitarian response

Officials have signaled that more deportation flights are scheduled, with DHS emphasizing enforcement will expand as logistical capacity grows. Advocacy groups expect continued court filings that may affect the pace or scope of removals, but the Supreme Court’s May ruling removed the main legal barrier for now.

Local and international response needs include:
– Counseling and mental health support
– Job placement and livelihood programs
– Emergency housing and basic relief
– Legal assistance for those with pending cases or protection claims

Ground operations at Cap-Haïtien:
– Ground crews, immigration officers, and aid workers process intake lists and verify identities.
– Authorities arrange onward travel and attempt to avoid transferring families through high-risk areas.
– Children arrive holding hands, some reuniting with relatives after many years apart.

Broader context and what’s next

The history: TPS for Haitians was granted after the 2010 earthquake and renewed several times as crises mounted. Under President Biden, TPS and humanitarian parole options were widened. The current rollback under President Trump reverses that course, returning the program closer to its original, time-limited scope.

Current facts shaping the moment:
– The TPS termination for Haitians is final under current policy and court rulings.
– A sharp contrast exists between DHS’s claim of improved conditions and the State Department’s Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory.

What may follow:
– More flights and ongoing removals as DHS expands capacity.
– Further legal challenges from advocacy groups and possible court decisions that could alter timing or scope.
– Calls from advocates and some lawmakers for a pause to reassess country conditions and reduce family separation risks.

For Haitian nationals still in the U.S. after August 3, 2025, DHS’s message is clear: those without another lawful status should prepare for contact from immigration officers or arrange departure through CBP Home. People with pending cases or potential protection claims are seeking counsel, but options remain narrow after recent court rulings.

“TPS was never meant to be permanent,” officials say — but for hundreds of thousands of people and the communities that depend on them, the end of the program raises urgent questions about safety, family unity, and long-term recovery.

As deportation flights continue, the situation will evolve through a mix of administrative action, legal filings, and political debate. The outcomes will shape tens of thousands of lives on both sides of the Caribbean.