Haitians legally residing in the U.S. under temporary programs say they are concerned about their ability to remain in the country as newly elected President Donald Trump plans to end the programs and initiate mass deportations on the first day of his administration to carry out.
Warrens Dolcine, 23, was studying political science and international relations at the Université d’État d’Haïti, when gang violence began to spread through Port-au-Prince, the capital and the surrounding area, leaving her and her mother in constant danger .
“The gangs didn’t take over overnight,” she said. “It was gradual. They worked on your mind first. In 2021, they started kidnapping people, and I kept having to leave my house to stay with my family. Ultimately it was no longer safe for me and my mother.”
The mother and daughter spent two years shuttling between their homes and staying with relatives outside Port-au-Prince. When the violence escalated, they fled Haiti. After a tumultuous escape, Dolcine and her mother came to the United States under the Biden administration’s Humanitarian Parole Program, which is currently creating a legal route for temporary visas for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans.
Eligible individuals will be allowed to stay in the country for up to two years, which will also allow them to work. Applicants must meet specific criteria, including passing safety screenings, and must have a U.S.-based sponsor. The program, known as the CHNV, aims to address growing refugee crises in countries like Haiti.
By the end of August 2024, about half a million people from the four countries came to the U.S. under humanitarian parole during the Biden administration, and 210,000 were Haitians, according to the National Foundation for American Policy.
Sponsored by her great-aunt, Dolcine and her mother legally entered the US in December 2023. She now works full-time as an assistant at her church in New York City while caring for her mother, who is disabled.
During his campaign, Trump announced plans to launch an unprecedented deportation initiative targeting undocumented criminals, drug traffickers and human traffickers. During a NewsNation interview, Trump also mentioned his intention to end programs like Temporary Protected Status, which expire in 2026 and would have to be renewed. The program has been adopted by administrations dating back to George HW Bush.
However, US Citizenship and Immigration Services emphasizes that potential beneficiaries of the program undergo rigorous background checks to ensure they do not pose a threat to US security. Trump’s team did not specifically address the impact of these plans on Haitian migrants when reached by NBC News.
Dolcine said she is determined to stay in the U.S. but worries about her mother, who depends on her both financially and emotionally.
“If my mother has a problem, I have a problem,” she said. “She asks, ‘What will happen to us?’ I don’t have the answers, but I have faith that God will work it out.”
Orilas Jean Francois was also forced to leave Haiti, under extenuating circumstances, he said. He ran construction and financing businesses at home, which provided his family with a stable life, he said. But in early 2024, Francois began devising an escape plan from the violence and economic collapse that characterizes the island nation today.
“It was not a choice I made lightly,” he says. “I had to leave to find safety and find a way to care for my wife and children.”
Port-au-Prince is facing a wave of violence, with at least 5,600 murders and nearly 1,500 kidnappings reported last year, according to the United Nations. A massacre at Cité Soleil in December claimed at least 207 lives, with victims mutilated, burned or dumped into the sea by the Wharf Jérémie gang.
Political unrest and gang violence delayed his departure from Haiti several times, even after he was cleared to enter the US under the Humanitarian Parole Program.
“In March I had my ticket and documents ready to travel, but a massive prison break made the streets unsafe and flights were cancelled,” François said. His trip was postponed so many times that his original authorization expired, forcing him to request an extension from USCIS. “The stress was unbearable.”
Francois finally arrived in the US in July under the program. After living in New York City with his family for a few months, Francois said he focused on learning English and finding steady work.
“I don’t want to depend on others for support,” he said. “I want to work, take care of my family and show my gratitude to those who sponsored me.”
Francois and Dolcine both emphasized their commitment to self-sufficiency, pushing back on rhetoric about migrants relying on government assistance.
However, the temporary programs pose problems. Last year, the Humanitarian Parole Program was briefly halted after at least 101,000 applications were filed by so-called serial sponsors, repeatedly using the same contact information and Social Security numbers, according to USCIS.
Nevertheless, Dolcine highlighted the contributions of Haitian migrants in the United States, who are primarily employed in service occupations, with a significant presence in healthcare support roles. According to the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, 71% of Haitian immigrants age 16 and older participate in the civilian workforce, compared to 66% of the total foreign-born population.
“Every Haitian I know is a skilled worker,” she said. “We work in the medical sector, construction and other professions. I plan to study nursing while working full time and helping my mother.”
For Francois, deportation would represent an extreme risk. “We left because we had no choice,” he said. ‘There is no life in Haiti. If we are sent back, we will be at even greater risk.”
Yolette Williams, CEO of the Haitian American Alliance of New York, which provides assistance to Haitians locally and in their home countries, underscored the emotional toll of living in limbo.
“The lack of a clear plan is devastating,” she said. “People need stability to rebuild their lives. At the very least, the government must provide clarity and protection to those who have already proven their contribution to society.”
As Trump threatens to dismantle programs that provide a lifeline to migrants like Dolcine and Francois, they remain steadfast and draw strength from their faith and dreams. “He talks a lot,” Dolcine said with a smile, referring to the newly elected president. “I’m just going to live in the moment and let things be.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
