Haitian migrants are choosing to self-deport to Canada rather than face removal to their homeland after the Trump administration ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court, CNN reports.
The high court in June gave the administration the green light to terminate the humanitarian status that had shielded hundreds of thousands of Haitians from deportation since a devastating earthquake struck the Caribbean nation more than 15 years ago. The move has left many in legal limbo, with some opting to leave the United States on their own terms.
CNN reports that Canada has emerged as a top destination for Haitians seeking to relocate outside the U.S., with some making the perilous journey to the northern border in hopes of starting over — even as Canadian asylum rules have become significantly stricter since the first Trump administration.
The route from upstate New York to Montreal became a well-known crossing point for Haitian migrants during Trump’s first term. But times have changed, and claiming asylum at Canada’s border is now much harder. Still, some are willing to take the risk.
“Some people… knowing fully well all the risks and all the troubles, they’re like, ‘I will give it a shot, and I will try, because I have nothing else, and I cannot go back to Haiti,’” said Fedora Mathieu, an immigration and refugee lawyer in Ottawa who says her office has fielded a growing number of calls from Haitians in the U.S.
According to the Canada Border Services Agency, Haitians now top the list of nationalities requesting asylum at ports of entry along the Canada-U.S. border.
U.S. Deportation Flights Resume
Meanwhile, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents announced last week that they had begun repatriating Haitian migrants to Haiti. The first deportation flight carried more than 160 people back to the country.
On Monday, ICE officials said that those deported included individuals convicted of child sex crimes, human smuggling, and assault, as well as gang members — a detail that adds a contentious layer to the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement.
The developments come as the Trump administration continues to implement its hard-line immigration agenda, including the termination of TPS for several countries. The Supreme Court’s ruling in June effectively cleared the way for the administration to end protections that had been in place since the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
For many Haitians, the choice is stark: self-deport to a third country like Canada, face removal to a homeland still grappling with instability, or remain in the U.S. without legal status. Advocates warn that the situation could lead to a humanitarian crisis at the northern border, even as Canadian officials tighten their own asylum policies.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/08/24/cnn-haitians-self-deporting-to-canada-after-trump-ends-temporary-amnesty/