Doctors Without Borders warns of deterioration in Haiti and calls for extending TPS protections in the U.S.

New York.- Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned this Wednesday of the “serious deterioration” of the humanitarian situation in Haiti and asked US policymakers to extend migration protections for citizens of that country, in the context of a case being examined by the Supreme Court on Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The possible revocation of TPS by the Donald Trump government could set a precedent for all beneficiaries of the program, according to MSF, which also warns that the increase in violence by armed groups, the collapse of basic services and the health crisis “make the country unsafe for forced returns”. “Haiti has become a much more dangerous place to live, work, or receive medical care,” said Tirana Hassan, executive director of MSF USA, in a statement. More than 350,000 Haitians currently reside in the United States under TPS, a humanitarian program that allows citizens of nations affected by conflicts or disasters to live and work in the country. The US administration has pushed for program reviews and in February announced the end of the designation for Haiti, although several court decisions have temporarily blocked its application.

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Now, in a case before the Supreme Court, ‘Trump v. Miot’, the Administration is expected to defend its efforts to end TPS, relying in part on its arguments that conditions in Haiti are safe enough for people to return. However, MSF and other organizations claim that since the violence escalated in early 2024, “six out of ten medical centers in Port-au-Prince have closed or are only partially functioning.” “Some have been looted, burned, and abandoned, while others face a severe shortage of supplies, medicines, or personnel. Many people are too afraid to go to health services, even when they have an urgent need,” the note indicates. In the last week alone, “extremely violent clashes between several rival armed groups” have erupted in two neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, forcing hundreds of families to “flee their homes in the middle of the night under torrential rain.” “During the weekend of April 18 and 19, members of our staff called us to tell us that they were trapped in their homes due to the shootings and that they had no way to escape,” explains Davina Hayles, MSF general coordinator in Haiti, in the statement. “Nearly 40 people, including MSF staff members accompanied by their families, came to seek refuge in our hospital in Cité Soleil, as they had nowhere else safe to go,” she adds. According to the United Nations, more than 1.4 million people have fled their homes due to violence in Haiti and have had to seek refuge elsewhere in the country. “This is an intolerable situation for the Haitian population, and returning Haitians with TPS from the U.S. against their will, putting them in danger, would only worsen the crisis. We urge U.S. policymakers to recognize this reality,” says Hassan.