The Trump administration has announced that migrants living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will be eligible for financial assistance if they voluntarily leave the country as the administration moves to end protections for certain groups.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said TPS recipients should either qualify for another lawful immigration status or prepare to return to their home countries.
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“We’ll actually give you a plane ticket plus roughly $2,600 to help you reestablish when you get there,” Mullin said. “Temporary status is not permanent status.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later confirmed that eligible migrants who choose voluntary departure through the CBP HOME program can receive free travel assistance and a US$2,600 payment to help with resettlement after returning home.
The initiative, launched in January 2026, also allows participants to avoid detention while making travel arrangements and may help them avoid certain enforcement actions associated with formal deportation proceedings.
Supreme Court Clears Way for TPS Terminations
The announcement follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allows the Trump administration to proceed with ending TPS protections for approximately 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians.
TPS is a humanitarian immigration program granted to nationals of countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. It allows recipients to live and work legally in the United States for limited periods but does not automatically provide a pathway to permanent residency or citizenship.
The United States first granted TPS to Haitians following the devastating 2010 earthquake, while Syrians received the designation after the outbreak of civil war in 2012.
Mixed Political Response
The policy has sparked debate across the political spectrum.
Some Republicans, including Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, have warned that ending TPS could negatively affect employers and local economies that rely on Haitian workers.
At the same time, several conservative commentators criticized Mullin’s initial remarks suggesting TPS holders could seek permanent legal status through other immigration pathways before leaving the country.
Responding to the criticism, Mullin clarified his position on social media.
“Let me be abundantly clear: Temporary Protected Status is just that—temporary,” he wrote. “Illegal aliens have two choices—they can either accept a $2,600 stipend and a flight home to self-deport, or they will be removed.”
Humanitarian Concerns
Immigration advocates have expressed concern that many TPS recipients would be returned to countries still facing severe instability.
Both Haiti and Syria remain under the U.S. State Department’s Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory because of ongoing violence, political instability, crime, and other security threats.
Critics argue that ending TPS while maintaining travel warnings for U.S. citizens raises questions about the safety of returning migrants to those countries.
With the Supreme Court’s ruling now in effect, the Department of Homeland Security is expected to move forward with requiring affected TPS recipients either to secure another lawful immigration status or participate in voluntary departure or removal proceedings.
