US Sends 161 Deportees to Haiti on First Flight Since TPS Protections Ended

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement flight carrying 161 people landed in Cap-Haïtien on August 20, the first such flight since legal protections under Temporary Protected Status ended for hundreds of thousands of Haitians. The aircraft used the northern city because Port-au-Prince's airport remains too dangerous for U.S. commercial flights amid widespread gang violence. Haiti's migration director said the group included former TPS holders and people who had completed prison sentences, though U.S. officials did not publicly provide a breakdown. Haitian authorities released the passengers after offering food, drink and limited travel assistance.