Doctors Without Borders is highlighting the escalating humanitarian crisis in Haiti, a situation they say should inform decisions regarding Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals. The organization, comprised of doctors, nurses, and humanitarian aid workers, states that its teams witness firsthand the daily struggles of people in Haiti, urging that individuals should not be returned to a country where violence and insecurity impede access to basic services and safety.
In Port-au-Prince, the main sexual violence clinic run by Doctors Without Borders has seen a nearly threefold increase in admissions since 2022, now serving over 250 patients per month. The need for medical care extends to chronic conditions as well, with hundreds of people lining up on some mornings at the Cite Soleil hospital seeking a range of services.
These conditions contribute to significant displacement, with an estimated 1.5 million people having fled their homes due to violence. These individuals are often forced to shelter in overcrowded public buildings like schools, with families of up to 40 people sharing single rooms, or living in makeshift camps. Mobile clinics operated by Doctors Without Borders are observing a rise in scabies cases, which they attribute to a lack of clean water and inadequate living conditions among displaced populations.
The organization's concerns are amplified as the Supreme Court has cleared the path for the Trump administration to potentially end TPS for Haitians. Doctors Without Borders emphasizes that the ongoing severe insecurity and humanitarian crisis in Haiti are realities that should guide any policy decisions concerning the status of Haitian nationals in the United States.