Miami-Dade says Haitians with TPS can still receive services after benefits extended until July 1

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) benefits for Haitians have been extended through July 1, 2026, according to a news release issued Wednesday by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

TPS for Haitians was supposed to expire on Feb. 3. But the day before, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued an order staying the decision. It is still in litigation.

This means Haitians with TPS with the following original expiration dates can extend the validity of their Employment Authorization Documents (EADs):

• February 3, 2026
• August 3, 2025
• August 3, 2024
• June 30, 2024
• February 3, 2023
• December 31, 2022
• October 4, 2021
• January 4, 2021
• January 2, 2020
• July 22, 2019
• January 22, 2018
• July 22, 2017 

For more information on TPS from the USCIS, go here.

The Miami-Dade tax collector said this means that Haitians in Florida can receive services, like driver’s license renewals or obtaining a Florida ID card, if they qualify and present valid documentation.

“The Miami-Dade County Tax Collector’s Office will continue to follow all guidance issued by Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and federal authorities. Our office remains committed to providing clear information and ensuring services are delivered in full compliance with state and federal regulations while continuing to serve the residents of Miami-Dade County.

South Florida is home to the largest Haitian American community in the country, according to NBC News.

The National Immigration Forum reports that about 330,000 Haitians were in the U.S. with TPS as of March 2025.

President Barack Obama designated Haiti for TPS in response to the magnitude-7.0 earthquake that devastated the country in January 2010, killing and wounding more than half a million people and crippling its government.

The protection, which is usually in effect for a year or more, was extended repeatedly as Haiti was hit with more natural disasters and political upheaval. In some years, Haiti was redesignated for TPS, opening the protected status to newcomers.

President Donald Trump tried to end TPS for Haitians last summer, but legal challenges forced the administration to set this year’s Feb. 3 deadline. He also tried to end TPS for Haitians in his first term, but court battles kept his policy from taking effect before he lost re-election in 2020.