In Florida, a 29-year-old expectant mother is hiding, fearing deportation. She is one of over 300,000 Haitian nationals who had Temporary Protective Status (TPS) until the Trump administration ended the program. This decision followed a lengthy legal battle, with claims of improved conditions in Haiti.
As TPS neared expiration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement prepared to intensify efforts to arrest and deport Haitian migrants. This information came from two ICE sources and federal documents obtained by CBS News.
The woman, unnamed by CBS News, came to the U.S. at six years old and has no family left in Haiti. The TPS program was initially created to assist Haitians fleeing violence in their country. Despite the closure of the TPS program, the U.S. State Department issued a Level 4 travel advisory, warning Americans against traveling to Haiti. A United Nations report revealed 613 gang-related killings in Haiti between March and July, and a halt in basic services in affected neighborhoods.
Florida hosts some of the largest Haitian communities in the U.S. In Miami’s Little Haiti, streets that were once lively are now silent. A man is seen sitting by a mural at the Little Haiti Cultural Center on July 30, 2026.
The woman questioned where she would go if deported, emphasizing that TPS, despite its name, involved a temporary process for those seeking legal status in the U.S. She lost her job because her TPS expired, leading to the loss of health insurance. Her high-risk pregnancy demands weekly medical appointments, creating financial challenges. Nevertheless, her partner is a U.S. citizen, making her unborn child an American citizen upon birth.
“I feel like I’m American,” she said, having spent most of her life in the U.S., which she calls home. For now, she remains indoors, venturing out only for necessary medical appointments, which might soon become impossible.
Camilo Montoya-Galvez contributed to this report.