Federal immigration officials on Friday extended a legal status for Haitian immigrants — who make up the majority of the population of new arrivals into Massachusetts — for an additional 18 months.
Under Temporary Protected Status, immigrants are eligible for work authorization and cannot be deported from the United States on the basis of their immigration status. Asked Monday about the expansion of TPS legal status for Haitian immigrants, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said,"We continue to obviously press on the federal government for help and assistance. And we have a large Haitian population here, so having that Temporary Protected Status for so many family members, extended family members, will be something that I think our Haitian American community is fully supportive of.
When former President Donald Trump moved in 2017 to temporarily end Haitians' TPS, Healey — then attorney general — offered strong remarks against removing the protections. Current TPS holders will have 60 days to re-register, starting on July 1 and ending August 29, and individuals eligible to submit first time TPS applications can do so through February 2026, according to the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute.