Trump Administration Increases Haiti Deportation Flights to Weekly

The Trump administration is increasing deportation flights to Haiti from once a month to once a week, with the acceleration beginning as early as this week. The move follows a June Supreme Court ruling that permitted the administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, a program that previously blocked the deportation of citizens from countries deemed too dangerous.

The Department of Homeland Security determined Haiti is safe for returns, despite a State Department warning against visiting due to terrorism, kidnapping, and crime. Because the Federal Aviation Administration has banned commercial flights to Port-au-Prince, deportation flights will instead land in Cap Haitien to avoid instability in the capital.

The administration is targeting more than 300,000 Haitians whose legal status expired this summer. To facilitate the process, the government is offering some individuals a plane ticket and $2,600 to self-deport via a mobile application. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that TPS was not intended to be permanent and characterized the ramp-up as putting America first again.