As Haiti TPS protections end, Minnesota immigrants and employers wonder what comes next
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The end of Temporary Protected Status, known as TPS, protections for Haiti this week is creating uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in the United States.
While Minnesota has a relatively small Haitian population, immigration attorneys and business leaders say the decision is being closely watched here because of what it could signal for TPS holders from other countries and for employers that rely on immigrant workers.
There are an estimated 4,000 Haitians who live in Minnesota. However, it's unclear how many are covered by TPS.
TPS allows people from countries experiencing war, natural disasters or other extraordinary conditions to temporarily live and work legally in the United States. It does not provide a pathway to permanent residency or citizenship, although some recipients may qualify for other forms of immigration relief.
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The Trump administration has moved to end TPS protections for several countries, including Syria. Supporters say the administration is restoring the temporary nature of the program, while critics argue conditions remain unsafe in countries like Haiti and warn the changes could disrupt families and local economies.
‘The clock is ticking’
For people from Haiti who have relied on TPS, Minnesota immigration attorney David Wilson said the end of the designation means they should immediately explore whether they qualify for another immigration benefit.
“The clock is ticking. TPS is never meant to be a solution. It's meant to be a stopgap to help people who can't go back,” Wilson said.
He said TPS was always intended to be temporary, but he argues Haiti remains unsafe.
“The administration is correct that this was never meant to be permanent. The problem is in Haiti in particular, there's no way anyone would ever say that that place is safe to go to right now.”
Wilson said some Haitians may be eligible for asylum or other forms of immigration relief, while others could become more vulnerable to immigration enforcement if they lose work authorization.
“I've seen inquiries,” Wilson said. “We get calls regarding Haitians.”
Still, he emphasized that longtime TPS holders have legal rights and, in many cases, additional legal options because of how long they have lived in the United States.
“They do have rights. Because they've been here for so much time, it's not like they can just be picked up. They do get to see a judge, and they do get to try to avail themselves of the defenses that exist.”
His advice to clients, he said, is simple:
“Start planning.”
Why the decision matters in Minnesota
Although the immediate change affects Haitians and Syrians, Wilson said many Minnesotans with TPS from other countries are now paying close attention to what happens next.
“Minnesota does have a sizable TPS population. If it's not Syria and Haiti, there's a lot of Ukrainians who are very anxious about what's going to happen. There are a lot of Somali nationals who are on TPS, Ethiopian nationals ... and I think that's where we'll really start seeing some impact in Minnesota if the administration is pushing ahead with this pattern of ‘we're eliminating it all.’”
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is leading a coalition of states challenging the administration's effort to end TPS protections for Somalia.
In an April court filing, the coalition argued ending those protections would harm Minnesota's economy and workforce. According to the Attorney General's Office, Somali immigrants contribute an estimated $228 million annually in state and local taxes, and more than 15 percent of Somali immigrants in Minnesota work in home health care.
Wilson said one industry he is watching closely is long-term care.
“We're very dependent upon nursing and nursing assistants and medical techs, all that we've trained and all that the United States has invested in, and they work very hard,” he said. “So you take away all that labor, you're going to see some serious distress in that industry.”
Employers say uncertainty affects planning
Business leaders say the impact extends beyond any one industry.
Luis Zaldivar, business engagement director for the American Business Immigration Coalition, said employers have long struggled to fill open positions and view immigration policy as a workforce issue.
“The first thing that comes to mind with this ruling is that businesses are going to scale down, and prices are going to go up.”
While he noted Minnesota has relatively few Haitian TPS holders, Zaldivar said employers are paying attention because of broader workforce challenges, including an aging population and persistent labor shortages.
He said uncertainty surrounding work authorization can affect employers' long-term plans to expand.
“If they wanted to, for instance, open two more senior communities, or to open a new hospital, or to open a new clinic, or to open a new restaurant... now they're going to be confronted by the fact that they live in a place where the population is getting older, where there is not enough workers.”
Zaldivar said employers in his coalition most frequently raise staffing concerns in long-term care, construction and restaurants.
He also said many TPS holders have lived in the United States for decades and now hold supervisory or management positions.
“By now, they have managerial positions, supervisory roles, and they are much, much harder to replace than let's say a dishwasher.”
Uncertain future
Wilson said no one can predict how future TPS decisions will unfold, but he expects many immigrants and employers will continue watching the administration's next moves.
“Nothing is predictable in the realm of immigration at this time,” he said.
For now, the ruling leaves many TPS holders and employers waiting to see what comes next. It's also not yet clear how the government will implement the end of TPS protections, though immigration attorneys say people could receive notices requiring them to appear in immigration court before any enforcement action.
