TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) \u2014\u00a0Haitian nationals living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status could receive a three-year extension under a House-passed measure that drew bipartisan support but continues to spark debate over immigration policy and conditions in Haiti.<\/p>\n
The proposal, H.R. 1689<\/a>, would extend Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for more than 350,000 Haitian nationals.<\/p>\n PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Temporary protected status for Haitians to expire Feb. 3 <\/a><\/p>\n Jean-Ren\u00e9 Rinvil of the Haitian Association Foundation of Tampa Bay, Inc<\/a>. told News Channel 8 he was pleased to see the bipartisan support from lawmakers as Haiti remains unsafe for widespread return, reminding of the ongoing instability.<\/p>\n \u201cIt really proves that Congress can work together,\u201d Rinvil said. \u201cWhether it\u2019s natural disasters, the assassination of the president and gangs and so forth. I think we are at a point where it is necessary for TPS really to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n Rinvil said conditions are frightening particularly in Port-au-Prince, where there remains ongoing infrastructure damage and insecurity.<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially in Port-au-Prince\u2026 a lot of people even had homes, but those have been destroyed, so where will they stay?\u201d Rinvil explained.<\/p>\n The U.S. Department of Homeland Security<\/a> first designated Haiti for TPS in 2010 following the catastrophic earthquake which killed more than 300,000 people. The designation has been extended multiple times in the years since.<\/p>\n Those who oppose the measure say immigration policy should prioritize U.S. interests and argue that humanitarian protections should not become permanent migration pathways as there is already an avenue for that.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t blame Haitians for trying to get here. I mean, the country has only really difficult to live in, really difficult. So I don\u2019t blame them, but we still have to look out for the needs of Americans first,\u201d said Rod Thomson of the Republican Party of Sarasota County<\/a>. \u201cThere\u2019s no good solution for a country that has been that bad off for that long. I just know that America can\u2019t fix it by bringing in and allowing hundreds of thousands of them.\u201d<\/p>\n The bill now moves to the Senate. If approved there, it would go to President Donald Trump, who would decide whether to sign it into law.<\/p>\n However, its prospects remain uncertain. Earlier this year, the Trump administration moved to end TPS protections for Haitian nationals<\/a>, but that effort was blocked by a federal judge in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n