Empty pews and canceled community events have become a stark reality for the Word of Life Center, a church serving as a central hub for the Haitian community on Maryland's Eastern Shore, following the Trump administration's decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians.
Senior Pastor Roosevelt Toussaint reported that Sunday services have seen attendance drop by more than half, with many congregants hesitant to leave their homes due to fear of arrest and deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The termination of TPS affects roughly 350,000 Haitians legally living and working in the U.S., many of whom have established lives over years. In Salisbury, Maryland, where about 10% of the population is Haitian, these individuals are employed in essential sectors like agriculture, caregiving, and poultry processing, forming a significant part of the region's economy.
The end of TPS forces these individuals into a precarious situation: remaining in the U.S. to seek precarious underground employment while constantly fearing ICE enforcement, or returning to Haiti, a nation grappling with severe gang violence and poverty, which some describe as a virtual death sentence.
Pastor Toussaint has appealed to President Trump for compassion, emphasizing that his congregants came to the U.S. to work and contribute to the economy, not to cause harm. He expressed deep concern for their safety, stating, "If you really send us over there, you send us to die."
US citizens attending the service expressed solidarity and urged an end to ICE crackdowns. Guerline Jozef, president of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, noted that ICE tactics are increasingly involving direct calls to individuals for ankle bracelet fittings and strict travel limitations, rather than large-scale community raids. Some individuals are being instructed to self-deport within a month or face future repercussions.
The Supreme Court upheld the government's decision to end the TPS program on June 25, leading to weeks of confusion regarding enforcement timelines. By July 27, work permits were not extended, intensifying fears of job loss and deportation.
Reports of immigration arrests at local businesses and outside supermarkets have circulated on social media, exacerbating the anxiety within the community. Marie D. Fouché, founder of Safe Harbor Circles, highlighted the devastating impact on families, with individuals arrested while grocery shopping, leaving children unattended at home.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that TPS is intended to be temporary and not a form of permanent amnesty, adding that it does not comment on ongoing operations. The U.S. initially granted TPS to Haitians after the 2010 earthquake, with extensions granted over time. The administration's justification for ending TPS, citing improved conditions in Haiti, is contested by aid organizations pointing to ongoing displacement and humanitarian needs due to gang violence.
Immigration specialists and advocates express heartbreak over the situation, describing the affected individuals as hardworking people seeking better lives, often taking jobs that others do not want.
The crackdown has deeply affected individuals like Patricia Grace Louis-Jacques, a nursing student whose friends and family are facing the loss of TPS, with one friend asking her to care for her infant child in case of detention. The uncertainty has profoundly altered their lives.
Similar anxieties are felt by other TPS recipients. A Honduran woman, who previously worked at a poultry plant for over two decades before her TPS expired, now rarely leaves her home for fear of deportation. Her U.S.-born son urges her to stay hidden, and she has found solace in prayer while confined to her home.
These individuals express that living with such anxiety is unfair, as they came to the U.S. with the sole intention of building a better life without causing harm.