Haiti “Helpless” Without U.S. Temporary Protected Status, Transitional Leader Warns

One of Haiti’s nine-member transitional council leaders, Leslie Voltaire, told Fox News Digital that Haiti would be "helpless" if the United States abruptly ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and repatriated up to 400,000 citizens. Voltaire said the country depends heavily on remittances and protected migration pathways to sustain its fragile economy and basic public services.

Why TPS Matters

Voltaire described TPS — which has protected many Haitians for more than 15 years — as essential to Haiti’s current survival. He warned that a sudden termination of TPS would create a humanitarian and fiscal emergency because the Haitian government lacks the budget, jobs and infrastructure to absorb such a large returnee population.

"We think that we are helpless if another country is sending back our compatriots," Voltaire said. "We cannot do anything about it — just accommodate them, give them money to go back to their provinces and to their cities, help them with food. But it's very painful due to the small budget that we have in the government."

Legal Fight and International Response

Efforts by the Trump administration to end Haiti’s TPS designation were previously blocked by federal judges, and a recent DHS notice that TPS would not be renewed was halted by U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, who issued a preliminary injunction. Reyes said the proposed termination appeared likely motivated by "hostility to non-white immigrants" rather than an impartial assessment of on-the-ground conditions.

At the same time, the U.S. has increased its naval presence near Haiti — with three warships reported off the coast — and supported a United Nations-approved Gang Suppression Task Force aimed at addressing rising violence. Voltaire said such security efforts are necessary but not sufficient without parallel economic investment.

Economic Dependence and Historical Context

Voltaire estimated remittances from Haitians in the U.S., Canada and France amount to $3–$4 billion annually, calling migrant labor and remittance flows a "crutch" for the Haitian economy. He also said roughly 85% of Haiti’s professional class — including university professors, artists and skilled technicians — now live abroad.

Pointing to historical factors, Voltaire blamed past U.S. policies and interventions for weakening Haiti’s capacity to develop. He cited the 1915–1934 U.S. military occupation and later U.S. support for the Duvalier dictatorship (1957–1971) as events that depleted Haiti’s middle class and hindered sustained investment and state-building efforts.

What Voltaire Says Haiti Needs

Rather than concrete stability benchmarks (such as specific police numbers or GDP thresholds), Voltaire emphasized the need for time, foreign investment, improved security and increased public services before Haiti could safely receive large-scale repatriation. He urged U.S. and international partners to consider tariff relief, direct financial assistance and sustained investment to create jobs and basic services for returnees.

"The problem of security in Haiti is mainly to have jobs," Voltaire said. "There are no jobs because there is no investment right now. There is no investment because there is insecurity. And also we have to provide services to the population, so there is a huge need of cash, of resources — financial resources."

Voltaire concluded that repatriation could be positive only if economic and political development continue and the government — with international support — can guarantee jobs and services for returnees.