Florida Republican says deporting Haitians with TPS would be ‘huge mistake’

Key Points:

• Florida Republican Congressman Carlos Giménez urged the Trump administration to reconsider ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian migrants, warning that deporting 350,000 Haitians back to Haiti, which he described as a failed state, would be a grave mistake.
• Giménez also called for the reinstatement of TPS for Venezuelans following recent devastating earthquakes, emphasizing TPS’s role in protecting people fleeing failed states or disaster-stricken countries.
• Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and New York Congressman Mike Lawler, both Republicans, also opposed ending TPS for Haitians, highlighting the economic contributions of Haitian communities and the potential crisis in healthcare and caregiving sectors if TPS is revoked.
• The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration could end TPS for Haitians and Syrians, but current guidance allows Haitian TPS holders to retain status until lower courts align with the decision.
• Giménez, whose family fled Cuba, has supported bipartisan legislation to extend TPS for Haiti until 2029, citing ongoing violence and instability in Haiti as justification for continued protections.