With Temporary Protected Status for Over 350,000 Haitian Nationals Set to Expire February 3, Lawmakers Uplifted Impact on Haitians in Massachusetts

Video (YouTube) | Photos (Dropbox)

BOSTON – Today, as Trump marked one year in office, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chair of the House Haiti Caucus, along with Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), held a field hearing at Jubilee Christian Church in Mattapan on the importance of extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti. The hearing came with TPS set to expire on February 3, 2026, which would leave over 350,000 Haitian nationals at risk of deportation, including approximately 46,000 Haitians and Haitian-Americans across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, over half of whom call the Boston metropolitan area home.

The lawmakers heard from panels of individuals, advocates, and community leaders impacted by Trump’s decision to end TPS for Haitians. Testimony from the hearing will be entered into the Congressional Record and inform immediate oversight and legislative efforts.

“This field hearing has made clear that terminating TPS for Haiti would be a death sentence for thousands of families living in Massachusetts and across our country, and devastating to the communities they enrich,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. “Haitians who have built their lives here and contributed to the Massachusetts 7^th community for years are at risk of deportation to a country that remains entrenched in political, economic, and humanitarian turmoil. We should be doing everything we can to save lives and protect our neighbors, not tearing them away from their home and sending them to danger. While Trump demonizes immigrant families and begins his second year in office, I’ll continue standing with our Haitian neighbors, affirming that they belong, and pushing back against Trump’s harmful anti-immigrant agenda.”

“Haitian TPS holders are deeply rooted in our Massachusetts communities. They are our friends, our family members, our neighbors, our colleagues,” said Senator Markey. “The termination of Haiti TPS would be an abdication of the American promise as a land of freedom and a betrayal to the Haitian community, and we must not let it happen. I am proud to stand with Representative Pressley and the Haitian community every single day to organize, demand change, and keep fighting for Haiti TPS.”

Joining Congresswoman Pressley and Senator Markey at the hearing were: Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06), and multiple organizations including: Immigrant & Family Services Institute – USA; Everett Haitian Community Center; Association of Haitian Women in Boston; Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti; Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition; National TPS Alliance; Massachusetts TPS Committee; American Business Immigration Coalition; Massachusetts Restaurants United; Laurel Ridge Rehabilitation & Skilled Care Center; LeadingAge Massachusetts; National Domestic Workers Alliance; SEIU 32BJ; SEIU 1199.

“Hearing directly from Haitian families and community advocates today made clear just how devastating the Trump Administration’s decision to end TPS for Haitian immigrants would be,” said Congressman Seth Moulton. “Deporting people back to a country facing extreme violence and instability like Haiti is both cruel and reckless. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Massachusetts delegation to protect TPS and ensure that Haitian immigrants can continue to live and work safely in our communities without fear of deportation.”

“The ending of TPS is morally unjustifiable for nationals from any country in lethal turmoil, yet its effects on the senior care sector and on airport workers in Massachusetts—including over 100 of our members—shows that the ending of Haitian TPS is the most egregious example of the extraordinary harm that ending this protection causes to local businesses, to our economy, and to countless U.S. citizens, as well as to thousands of hardworking immigrants and their families,” said Kevin Brown, Executive Vice President 32BJ SEIU.

“The human consequences are already devastating our communities. We have seen deportations of Venezuelan community members, and heartbreaking deaths tied to the loss of TPS—a Honduran TPS holder died in immigration detention last Jan 4th, and here in Massachusetts a Honduran woman died after losing her TPS protections and could not continue her cancer treatment because she lost her healthcare protection due to the TPS cancelation. With the termination of TPS protections for Haiti set for February 3, 2026, we are warning everyone of a humanitarian and economic crisis this will create. More than one million people will be left unprotected, impacting not only TPS families, but also the stability of the economy of this country. Our lives are not temporary,” said Doris Landaverde, Coordinator of Mass TPS Committee.

“Terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the half a million Haitians who call the United States home is unconscionable and inhumane. These individuals, many of whom now call Boston and parts of Massachusetts home, have fled unimaginable violence and government instability for a better life, with thousands building those new lives in Massachusetts,” said Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the MIRA Coalition. “Ending TPS for Haitians will strip legal status away from our neighbors, friends, family and coworkers, forcing them into an extremely dangerous situation where they could face deportation.”

“The American Business Immigration Coalition, along with the ‘Care for Seniors, Care for America’ campaign, calls on the public and the administration to acknowledge the impact TPS terminations would have on everyday Americans. Immigrants are the backbone of the care industry, comprising one in four long-term care workers and over 30% of nursing home support roles. To address this, we call for stable work permits: Congress should create reliable, long-term pathways for law-abiding, qualified immigrants who have contributed to our economy for years. We must protect the ‘Circle of Care’ by maintaining the legal ability to work for current caregivers, avoiding disruptions to the vital bonds between seniors and their providers. We can—and must—secure both our borders and our workforce to ensure a prosperous American future,” said Luis Zaldivar of the American Business Immigration Coalition.

“Ending Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals and individuals from other TPS-designated countries will have serious consequences for older adults and their families. This policy change comes at a critical moment, as long-term demographic trends driven by population aging are rapidly increasing the number of people who require ongoing care and support. Foreign-born workers are an invaluable component of the aging services workforce in Massachusetts and nationwide. Immigration policy should be leveraged to support essential workers, strengthen critical services, and address well-documented labor gaps. Terminating TPS and further restricting lawful employment runs counter to those goals. These actions will deepen workforce challenges and, by limiting older adults’ access to much-needed care and services, jeopardize their health and well-being,” said Elissa Sherman, President, LeadingAge Massachusetts.

“Hundreds of American senior citizens in the city of Everett and greater Boston of all races who are receiving much needed home health aide assistance from hardworking dedicated workers—taxpayers who graduated from ESOL and workforce training programs as well as the approximately 1,842 voiceless Haitian babies, children, senior citizens, adults, families and youths who arrived 15 years ago on TPS, excelling in sports and other areas important to our local U.S. economic infrastructure will be terribly impacted by the suspensions of TPS. The US is better than that. The US can do better than that—creating a pathway for these TPS holders to have their green cards and citizenship is more a sensical and responsible immigration policy. As a Christian nation, Scripture teaches us: ‘I was a stranger and you invited me in.’ – Matthew 25:35. Let’s invite people to the fold—not persecuting and deporting them,” said Rev. Dr. Myrlande DesRosiers Senior pastor and Director at EHCC. 

“The decision of President Trump to not renew TPS is a horrific blow to the Haitians and Haitian-Americans that puts an entire community at risk on many fronts: economically, socially, psychologically and physically! Many families and individuals with TPS experience real fear and anxiety, not knowing what their fate is or will be. When you talk about the social determinants of health, fear, anxiety, lack of access to services play a significant role in people’s mental health and eventually their physical health. They may end up in the hospital with various health issues,” said Rev. Dr. Eno Mondésir, Senior Pastor of a predominantly Haitian congregation in the United States.

Footage of the hearing is available here and photos are available here.

As Representative for the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District, Congresswoman Pressley serves as Co-Chair for the House Haiti Caucus and represents one of the largest Haitian diaspora communities in the country.

• On June 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley condemned the Trump Administration’s abominable termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
• On June 5, 2025, Rep. Pressley and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) condemned Donald Trump’s executive order that bans citizens of 12 countries, including Haiti, from traveling to the United States, and places partial restrictions on citizens of seven more nations.
• On March 18, 2025, Rep. Pressley, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led 62 of their colleagues in the House and 23 of their colleagues in the Senate in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the Trump Administration redesignate and extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, which the administration recently canceled on questionable legal authority:
• On February 20, 2025, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
• On November 14, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning violence in Haiti and calling on the Biden Administration to halt all deportations to Haiti.
• On September 25, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the false and dangerous lies about Haitian, Latino, and Asian immigrants.
• On September 20, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs joined colleagues and advocates at a press conference to stand in solidarity with Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio and across America, and to demand accountability for the harmful and false narratives perpetuated by Republicans.
• On June 28, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Biden-Harris Administration’s extension and redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). 
• On April 23, 2024, Rep. Pressley, alongside Co-Chairs Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), led a group of 50 lawmakers urging the Biden Administration to redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), pause on deportations back to Haiti, extend humanitarian parole to any Haitians currently detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detention centers, end detention of Haitian migrants intercepted at sea, and provide additional humanitarian assistance for Haiti.
• On April 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs led a letter to House Ways and Means Committee leadership emphasizing support for the early renewal of the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Acts, commonly known as HOPE/HELP. 
• On April 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Haitian-led activists, organizations, and a directly impacted person in Haiti for a press call urging federal action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
• On March 27, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and her colleagues on the Massachusetts congressional delegation in urging the Biden Administration to expedite visa processing for Haitians, particularly  for relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
• On March 18, Rep. Pressley, Senator Markey, and the House Haiti Caucus led 67 lawmakers on a letter urging the Biden Administration to extend TPS for Haiti and halt deportations.
• On March 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Cherfilus McCormick and Yvette Clarke issued a statement on the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
• On March 6, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the recent jailbreak and State of Emergency in Haiti.
• On December 8, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke urged the U.S. Department of State to withdraw U.S. support for an armed foreign intervention in Haiti and encourage negotiations for a Haitian-led democratic political transition.
• On December 6, 2022, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Biden Administration’s extension and re-designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
• On December 1, 2022, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Cori Bush, and Rep. Mondaire Jones led 14 of their colleagues on a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging the Department to extend and redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
• In September 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Velázquez led 54 of their colleagues on a letter calling on the Biden Administration to immediately halt deportations to Haiti and provide humanitarian parole protections for those seeking asylum. The lawmakers’ letter followed the Administration’s resumption of deportation flights to Haiti as thousands of Haitian migrants continue to await an opportunity to make an asylum claim at the border. 
• In September 2022, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues on the House Oversight Committee in demanding answers regarding the inhumane treatment of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on horseback and pushing to Biden Administration to end the ongoing use and weaponization of Title 42.
• On August 17, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Val Demings, Yvette Clarke, and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), called on President Biden to appoint a new Special Envoy to Haiti, a position that has remained unfilled since September 2021.
• On July 7, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Andy Levin (MI-09), Val Demings (FL-10) and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) released a statement marking the one-year anniversary of the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
• On May 31, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Reverend Dieufort Fleurissaint, chair of Haitian Americans United, published an op-ed in the Bay State Banner in which they called on the Biden administration to withdraw support for de facto ruler of Haiti, Ariel Henry, and instead support an inclusive, civil society-led process to restore stability and democracy on the island. 
• In April 2022, she joined her colleagues at a press conference reaffirming her support for President Biden’s decision to end Title 42. Full video of her remarks at the press conference is available here. Rep. Pressley applauded the Biden Administration’s end of Title 42 in a statement in April 2022.
• On May 26, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with with Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Andy Levin (MI-09), Jim McGovern (MA-02), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24), led a letter to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Power urging her to act to ensure food security in Haiti.
• On March 16, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Mondaire Jones called on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky to fully end Title 42, cease deportations of people to Haiti and affirm their legal and fundamental human right to seek asylum.
• On February 16, 2022, Rep. Pressley joined Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 100 House and Senate colleagues in urging President Biden to reverse inhumane immigration policies – such as Title 42, originally introduced under the Trump Administration – that continue to disproportionately harm Black migrants.
• On February 14, 2022, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), alongside Representatives Judy Chu (CA-27) and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), led 33 other House Democrats on a letter to Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, demanding answers about the agency’s justification for treating asylum seekers as a unique public health threat, how these expulsions are being coordinated, how asylum seekers being returned to dangerous situations are being cared for, and more.
• On February 14, 2022, Reps. Pressley, Judy Chu (CA-27), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) led 33 other House Democrats on a letter to CDC Director Walensky demanding answers about the agency’s justification for treating asylum seekers as a unique public health threat, how these expulsions are being coordinated, how asylum seekers being returned to dangerous situations are being cared for, and more. Days later, Rep. Pressley once again called on the Biden Administration to reverse the Title 42 Order and other anti-Black immigration policies.
• On January 12, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09), and Val Demings (FL-10) released a statement on the 12-year anniversary of the catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010.
• On November 21, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren led the Massachusetts congressional delegation on a letter to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) calling on them to coordinate with the government agencies of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to assist newly arrived families from Haiti. 
• On October 18, 2021, Rep. Pressley, and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Val Demings (FL-10), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Andy Levin (MI-09) issued a statement following the kidnapping of American and Canadian missionaries in Haiti.
• On October 18, 2021, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the civil rights complaint filed by Haitian families demanding a federal investigation into the heinous actions perpetrated by federal officials at the border.
• On October 22, 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Reps. Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), sent a letter to Troy A. Miller, the Acting Administrator of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), demanding a briefing and answers regarding press reports of the inhumane treatment of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on horseback. 
• On September 17, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07) led 52 of their colleagues calling on the Biden Administration to immediately halt deportations to Haiti and take urgent action to address the concerns of the Haitian Diaspora after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti.
• On August 14, 2021, Rep. Pressley Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09) and Val Demings (FL-10) and Mondaire Jones (NY-17) released a statement regarding the recent earthquake in Haiti.
• On July 14, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09) and Val Demings (FL-10) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas calling on him to take a series of steps to support the Haitian diaspora amid ongoing political turmoil in Haiti.
• In July 2021, the Reps. Pressley, Clarke, Demings and Levin issued a statement condemning the assassination of President Moïse and calling for swift and decisive action to bring political stability and peace to Haiti and the Haitian people.
• In May 2021, on Haitian Flag Day, Reps. Pressley, Levin, Clarke and Demings announced the formation of the House Haiti Caucus, a Congressional caucus dedicated to pursuing a just foreign policy that puts the needs and aspirations of the Haitian people first.

###