Hundreds of thousands of Haitians in South Florida could be at risk of deportation due to SCOTUS ruling on TPS

The Supreme Court has ruled in a 6-3 decision that the Trump administration may proceed with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 350,000 Haitians in the U.S., a decision that places an estimated 160,000 South Florida residents at risk of deportation.

Activists say the move could force families into hiding and criticized the return of individuals to a country facing significant instability.

"They fled from violence, and now we are forcing them to go back to violence," said Haitian activist Ronald LaPorte.

LaPorte and fellow activist Santcha Etienne expressed defiance regarding the ruling. "We are not going; we will not back down from this," Etienne said.

Conditions in Haiti, particularly in the capital of Port-au-Prince, remain chaotic due to ongoing gang violence and food insecurity.

In response to the court's decision, Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski called on the U.S. Senate to pass a House bill that would extend TPS for Haiti for three years. Wenski noted that an extension would provide Congress additional time to reach a long-term solution.

The ruling has sparked concern among current TPS holders. One woman, who spoke anonymously and survived the 2010 Haiti earthquake, expressed fear about the potential end of her status.

"Going back there means no hope, and the State Department has warned Americans about the violence," she said.