Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin engaged in a sharp exchange with CNN anchor Jake Tapper on Sunday, defending the administration's plans to deport individuals whose Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti and Syria has been terminated by the Supreme Court. The exchange highlighted differing perspectives on the safety of Haiti for returnees.
Tapper questioned the safety of deporting individuals to Haiti, citing reports of extensive violence, displacement, and high rates of sexual abuse. He pointed to the State Department's Level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisory and figures from the U.N. and Human Rights Watch documenting over 8,100 killings in Haiti last year, along with more than 1,200 reported cases of sexual violence. "Based on everything I have read, including the U.N. and Human Rights Watch, it doesn’t sound safe for Haitians," Tapper stated.
Mullin countered that the "Do Not Travel" advisory is intended for U.S. citizens due to kidnapping risks directed at individuals believed to have family in the United States capable of paying ransoms. He asserted that TPS was never intended to be a permanent status and that beneficiaries had ample opportunity to pursue other legal avenues, such as visas or Lawful Permanent Resident status, during their time in the U.S.
"Temporary Protected Status was never intended to be permanent," Mullin said. "The whole time these individuals have been here underneath the Temporary Protected Status, they could have applied for a visa. They could have applied for LPR. They could have applied for different directions."
The discussion also touched upon the logistical challenges of deportation, given ongoing gang violence and gunfire in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, which has restricted commercial flights. Mullin assured that the Department of Homeland Security possesses alternative deportation methods, including dedicated flights, that can access areas where commercial travel is not feasible. "We have several options for deporting individuals, because we have deportation flights, where we can get into areas where maybe commercial travel can’t go to," he explained.
Mullin further stated that the administration would offer travel assistance to migrants choosing to depart, including a financial incentive of approximately $2,100 per individual to facilitate their return home.
The Supreme Court's decision on Thursday reversed lower court rulings that had postponed the termination of TPS for Haiti and Syria. The Court determined that the TPS statute precludes judicial review of non-constitutional claims, and it found that Haitian plaintiffs were unlikely to prevail on an equal protection claim.
TPS was established by Congress in 1990 to provide a safe haven for nationals unable to return to their home countries due to ongoing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary temporary conditions. Haiti's TPS designation was initially granted following the 2010 earthquake, and Syria's was designated after the civil war commenced in 2011.