On November 27, 2025, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the revocation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 353,000 Haitian nationals residing in the United States, effective February 2026. This decision was based on a review by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which concluded that Haiti no longer met the statutory requirements for TPS. The TPS designation had been granted in response to the 2010 earthquake and subsequent crises in Haiti, and it was extended by former President Joe Biden in 2024 due to ongoing challenges in the country.

The announcement coincided with heightened security concerns following a violent incident involving National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. Critics, including Representative Ayanna Pressley, have condemned the decision as lacking compassion for the humanitarian situation in Haiti, while some commentators argue that the TPS program has been misapplied, overlooking its intended temporary nature. Legal challenges to the revocation are anticipated, as previous attempts to end TPS for Haitians faced judicial opposition due to concerns about the safety of returnees.

In a related development, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a directive to American diplomats in Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, urging them to advocate for stricter immigration policies in host countries. The directive emphasizes reporting on perceived excessive support for immigrants and highlights concerns about violent crimes associated with migration backgrounds, framing these issues as threats to social cohesion and public safety.

Additionally, the U.S. government is set to conduct a comprehensive review of green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries identified as 'of concern,' following a shooting incident involving two National Guard members. This initiative, announced by Joe Edlow, the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is part of a broader escalation of immigration enforcement measures. The countries under review include Afghanistan, Haiti, and several others, reflecting ongoing tensions regarding immigration policy and national security.

The suspect in the shooting, an Afghan national who arrived in the U.S. in 2021, had previously collaborated with the U.S. government and was granted asylum in 2025. In response to the incident, the Department of Homeland Security also announced a halt to processing immigration requests related to Afghan nationals pending a review of security protocols. These actions underscore a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy, with implications for individuals seeking refuge and the responsibilities of the U.S. government towards those fleeing crises.