Florida Republican congressman Carlos Giménez has broken with the Trump administration, calling on the White House to reconsider its push to eliminate temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitian migrants. Giménez stated that returning approximately 350,000 Haitians to their homeland following the US supreme court’s ruling would be a grave error. Haiti is a failed state, Giménez emphasized, and deporting Haitians under TPS would be a huge mistake. He also advocated for the reinstatement of TPS status to Venezuelans after the recent twin earthquakes that struck north-central Venezuela.
Giménez represents part of Miami-Dade county, home to about 110,000 residents of Haitian ancestry. His comments align with those of Ohio’s Republican governor, Mike DeWine, who has also called on the Trump administration to reconsider pushing for the elimination of temporary protected status for Haitian migrants. DeWine argued that ending TPS for Haitian migrants would not be in the United States’ interest, particularly in Ohio, where Haitians are working in manufacturing, the food industry, and healthcare.
DeWine pointed out that Haiti is clearly not safe, citing state department travel advisories. New York Republican congressman Mike Lawler has also opposed an end to TPS for Haitian migrants, warning that immediately shutting off TPS would create a crisis in hospitals, nursing homes, and the disabilities community. Giménez has previously called on the Trump administration to back away from ending TPS for Haitian migrants and has backed a bill requiring the secretary of homeland security to designate Haiti for TPS until 2029.
He emphasized that providing TPS is not just sound policy, but also the right thing to do, ensuring that Haitian neighbors can continue contributing to the community. The bill, HR 1689, passed the House 224-204 after receiving support from South Florida lawmakers, including Republicans and Democrats, and currently awaits consideration in the Senate.
