Haiti TPS:
A House Majority Moves to Protect 353,000 Haitian TPS Holders
On March 28, 2026, a bipartisan House majority signed a discharge petition forcing a floor vote on legislation that would require the Trump administration to extend Temporary Protected Status for Haiti for three years. This is a significant moment of congressional action — and the result of sustained organizing by Haitian communities and advocates across the country. Here is what it means, and what it doesn’t.
Haiti TPS is currently protected by a federal court order — not the discharge petition. The court’s February 6 postponement order, upheld by the D.C. Circuit on March 6, remains firmly in effect. Haitian TPS holders retain their status, work authorization, and protection from deportation while litigation continues. The discharge petition does not change these protections.
Important: This page provides general information about the Haiti TPS discharge petition and is intended for educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. If you are a Haitian TPS holder with questions about your specific situation, please consult a qualified immigration attorney. Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) or UndocuBlack Network (UBN) may be able to connect you with legal resources.
- Your status has not changed. Haiti TPS is protected by the district court’s February 6 postponement order, upheld by the D.C. Circuit on March 6. The discharge petition does not add to or subtract from these protections.
- Haitian TPS holders retain their status, work authorization, and protection from deportation while litigation continues. EADs are extended per court order.
- Even if H.R. 1689 passes the House, it would still need to clear the Senate and be signed by the President to become law. The path to enactment is uncertain. Do not make any decisions about your status based on the discharge petition alone.
- The next major legal development is SCOTUS oral arguments in late April. CUSP and our member organizations will communicate all significant developments immediately.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, the Rules Committee controls which bills get scheduled for a floor vote. When leadership refuses to bring a bill to the floor, members can use a discharge petition to bypass them.
If a discharge petition collects signatures from 218 members — a majority of the full House — it forces the bill onto the floor for a vote, regardless of what leadership wants. That threshold was reached on March 28, 2026, meaning H.R. 1689 must now receive a floor vote within the coming weeks.
Discharge petitions are rarely successful — reaching 218 signatures is historically uncommon and reflects unusual bipartisan pressure. The petition was led by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chair of the House Haiti Caucus, and was signed by a near-total Democratic caucus plus Republicans Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). The full list of signatories is available on the Office of the Clerk’s website.
H.R. 1689 — the Haiti TPS Extension Act — would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status for three years. Unlike an executive branch TPS decision — which the current administration reversed — a congressionally mandated TPS extension would carry the force of statutory law.
- Mandate a three-year TPS designation for Haiti
- Protect approximately 353,000 Haitian TPS holders from deportation
- Create a statutory basis for protection not reliant on court orders alone
- Provide permanent status or a path to citizenship on its own
- Automatically resolve the ongoing federal litigation
- Cover individuals who do not meet existing TPS eligibility requirements
The discharge petition is a congressional action — it does not have direct legal effect on the federal cases. Courts rule on existing law, not pending legislation. Haiti TPS holders are currently protected by the district court’s February 6 postponement order, not by congressional action.
The central legal proceedings are the consolidated SCOTUS cases — Trump v. Miot (Haiti) and Noem v. Doe (Syria) — with oral arguments expected in late April and a decision anticipated by mid-June 2026. These cases will determine the legal fate of approximately 353,000 Haitian and 6,000 Syrian TPS holders.
The discharge petition matters primarily as a political and narrative signal: it puts a House majority on record opposing the terminations, and it demonstrates congressional support for TPS ahead of the SCOTUS oral arguments. That visibility can shape the broader political context, even if it does not change what happens in court.
CUSP will update this page as the House floor vote and SCOTUS oral arguments develop. Follow HBA and UBN for the most current community guidance.