Key facts
- Over 160 Haitian nationals were deported to Haiti on Thursday.
- This marks the first deportation flight since the U.S. ended the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program.
- The flight landed in Cap-Haïtien because Port-au-Prince's main airport is considered too dangerous due to gang violence.
- Deportees included individuals who had served prison sentences.
- Haitian officials provided deportees with a small sum of money to assist them.
The first deportation flight carrying over 160 Haitian nationals landed in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, on Thursday, following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision upholding President Donald Trump's authority to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 350,000 Haitians. The chosen landing site, Cap-Haïtien, was selected due to safety concerns in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where ongoing gang violence has led to a ban on U.S. commercial flights until early September. Many deportees expressed fear of targeting by gangs controlling a significant portion of the capital and surrounding areas. Haitian officials stated they would assist the returnees in reaching their homes, providing a modest financial sum. Critics, including immigrant-serving organizations, have condemned the deportations, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation in Haiti and the contributions of TPS holders to the U.S. workforce.