Introduction
The Temporary Protected Status designation for Haiti has officially ended. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed on July 29, 2026, that Haiti TPS termination took effect on July 27, 2026 — a final action that immediately affects the legal status and work authorization of Haitian nationals who had been living and working in the United States under that protection. The termination follows a November 2025 Federal Register notice issued under former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and was cleared for implementation after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision on June 25, 2026, in *Mullin v. Doe*, 609 U.S. ____ (2026), which USCIS describes as a favorable ruling regarding TPS terminations.
Background
Temporary Protected Status is a humanitarian designation that allows nationals of certain countries to live and work lawfully in the United States when their home country is experiencing conditions — such as armed conflict, natural disaster, or other extraordinary circumstances — that make safe return impractical. Designation is made by the Secretary of Homeland Security and is subject to periodic review and renewal. Haiti has held TPS designation for many years, with its origins tracing back to the devastating 2010 earthquake, and the protected population grew substantially following subsequent crises in the country.
When the Department of Homeland Security moved to terminate Haiti’s designation in a notice published at 90 Fed. Reg. 54733 on November 28, 2025, that decision was met with legal challenges, as TPS terminations historically have been. The Supreme Court’s ruling in *Mullin v. Doe* in June 2026 resolved the outstanding legal question in a way that allowed the termination to proceed. With that ruling in place, USCIS confirmed the July 27, 2026 effective date as final.
What Is Changing
The Haiti TPS designation is terminated as of July 27, 2026. This is not a proposed change, a wind-down period, or a notice of intent — the designation has ended. As a direct consequence, Employment Authorization Documents bearing category codes A12 or C19 that were issued to Haitian TPS beneficiaries are no longer valid as of that date. These are the two EAD category codes specifically associated with TPS-based work authorization. Holders of those cards may not use them as evidence of employment eligibility going forward.
The USCIS guidance released on July 29 supersedes an earlier related message posted on July 24, 2026, through the SAVE system — the federal database that government agencies and employers use to verify immigration benefit status. That update ensures that benefit-verifying agencies now reflect the correct terminated status.
Who Is Affected
Haitian nationals who held TPS and relied on it as the legal basis for their presence in the United States are directly and immediately affected. This includes individuals who held valid I-766 EADs with category A12 or C19, which are now invalid for any purpose — including I-9 employment verification. Employers who employ Haitian TPS holders are also directly affected: retaining an employee whose only work authorization was a now-invalid TPS-based EAD creates I-9 compliance exposure, and employers will need to reassess the employment eligibility of affected workers promptly.
Landlords, benefit-granting agencies, financial institutions, and state agencies that rely on TPS-derived documents to establish lawful status may also be affected, though the most immediate and practical impact falls on the individuals themselves and their employers. Haitian nationals who hold a separate, independent immigration status — such as a green card, another visa category, or a pending application that carries its own work authorization — are not affected in the same way, as their status does not derive from the TPS designation.
Practical Implications
For Haitian nationals who held TPS as their only form of lawful status, the termination creates an urgent and serious situation. There is no grace period announced in the USCIS guidance, and no indication of an automatic wind-down extension. Individuals in this category should immediately consult with an immigration attorney to assess whether any other pathway to lawful status or work authorization is available to them — including pending or potential family-based petitions, asylum claims, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U or T visa eligibility, or other humanitarian protections.
For employers, the I-9 compliance obligation is immediate. An employee whose I-9 list A or list C document was a TPS-category EAD (A12 or C19) can no longer use that document as proof of work authorization. Employers should conduct a targeted audit of I-9 records to identify any affected workers, and should follow reverification procedures where another valid document may be available. Employers should avoid taking adverse employment action based solely on national origin, but they also cannot knowingly continue to employ individuals who have no valid work authorization. That balance requires careful, legally informed handling.
One important open question is whether any pending TPS-related court proceedings or individual circumstances — such as a separately filed application or an approved petition awaiting visa availability — may provide interim relief or a path forward for specific individuals. That analysis is highly fact-specific and cannot be resolved through general guidance alone.
What to Watch For Next
Because the USCIS July 29 release specifically superseded an earlier SAVE system message from July 24, stakeholders should monitor whether any further technical corrections or clarifying guidance are issued, particularly regarding the SAVE database verification results that employers and agencies will rely on. Individuals and attorneys should also watch for any subsequent litigation challenging the *Mullin v. Doe* outcome or seeking relief for specific affected subpopulations, as that remains a possibility in any major TPS termination. The archived USCIS TPS Haiti webpage, referenced in the agency’s release, may contain additional historical documentation useful for record-keeping purposes.
How Immigration Professional Association Can Help
The end of Haiti TPS protection is one of the most consequential immigration events of 2026 for the Haitian community in the United States, and the window for taking protective action is already open. Immigration Professional Association works with individuals who are navigating the loss of TPS protection to assess what other immigration options — family-based petitions, humanitarian protections, adjustment of status, or other pathways — may be available given their specific circumstances and history in the United States.
For employers, our team understands how to approach I-9 reverification correctly in situations like this one — where a previously valid work authorization document has been invalidated — without creating discrimination liability or compliance exposure. This is exactly the kind of situation where acting quickly and correctly matters more than acting quickly alone.
If you or someone you know held Haiti TPS and is now uncertain about their status and options, or if you are an employer trying to understand your obligations following this termination, Immigration Professional Association is ready to help you work through the specifics. Reach out to our team to discuss your situation directly.
