WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday that would require the Trump administration to extend Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of Haitian migrants for three years, officials said.
The measure passed by a vote of 224-204, with 10 Republicans joining Democrats in support, according to congressional records. It now heads to the Senate. The bill, advanced through a discharge petition led by Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., aims to reinstate and extend the humanitarian protections after the Department of Homeland Security moved to terminate them.
Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, allows eligible nationals from designated countries facing ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters or other extraordinary conditions to remain in the United States and work legally. Haiti has held the designation for years due to instability and natural disasters.
The legislation would extend the protections through 2029, according to sponsors. Supporters said it would benefit more than 350,000 Haitians currently in the U.S. under the program or eligible for it, though exact figures were attributed to various estimates in congressional statements.
Pressley, co-chair of the House Haiti Caucus, said in a statement after the vote: "This is a decisive mandate about the need to extend temporary protected status for our Haitian neighbors."
The Trump administration had sought to end TPS for Haiti, citing improved conditions, but the move faced legal challenges. A federal court has maintained a stay on termination in related litigation, according to Department of Homeland Security updates. The White House has indicated President Trump would likely veto the bill if it reaches his desk.
Republicans who supported the measure included lawmakers from Florida with large Haitian-American communities, such as Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar, Mario Díaz-Balart and Carlos Giménez. House GOP leadership opposed the bill, arguing it undermined immigration enforcement priorities.
Opponents, including some administration officials, have said TPS should not be extended indefinitely and that returns to Haiti should be facilitated where conditions allow. Haitian community leaders and advocates have argued that ongoing violence, political instability and humanitarian needs in Haiti make return unsafe.
The bill's fate in the Senate remains uncertain. Even if approved there, it would require presidential signature or enough votes to override a veto.
As of Friday, no immediate action had been scheduled in the Senate. TPS holders from Haiti continue to benefit from court-ordered extensions of work authorization while litigation proceeds, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The House vote marked a rare bipartisan break on immigration policy in the 119th Congress. Details of potential next steps in negotiations were not immediately available.
