Republican gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds says he has been in contact with Haiti’s transitional government as he defends the Trump administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in the United States.
Donalds, a Florida congressman who recently secured the Republican nomination for governor, made the comments during an appearance on CBS News’ Face the Nation on Sunday. He said he has met with representatives of Haiti’s transitional government and the country’s ambassador, arguing that Haitian authorities are working to strengthen security and regain control of territory held by armed gangs.
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“I’ve actually had meetings with the transitional government and the ambassador for the transitional government,” Donalds said, adding that Haitian security forces are being developed as part of efforts to stabilize the country.
His comments come as the termination of TPS for Haitians has begun to have immediate consequences. The United States carried out its first major deportation flight to Haiti since the protections were ended, sending more than 160 people to Cap-Haïtien on August 21. The flight landed in northern Haiti rather than Port-au-Prince because of the severe security situation in the capital.
TPS had allowed eligible Haitians who could not safely return to their homeland to live and work legally in the United States. About 350,000 Haitians had been covered by the programme before the Trump administration moved to terminate the protection, a decision that was subsequently allowed to proceed following a US Supreme Court ruling.
Donalds argued that TPS was intended to provide temporary protection rather than become a permanent immigration arrangement. He said developments in Haiti’s security situation should allow some Haitians to begin returning, while acknowledging that the country continues to face serious challenges from armed gangs.
His assessment has drawn attention because the security situation remains extremely volatile. Armed groups control large portions of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, while violence has displaced approximately 1.5 million people across Haiti. The continuing instability has also disrupted transportation, access to essential services and economic activity.
The issue is particularly significant in Florida, which has one of the largest Haitian-American populations in the United States. South Florida communities, including Miami-Dade and Broward counties, have become major centres for Haitian businesses, churches, cultural organisations and families with ties to Haiti.
Earlier this year, Haitian-American advocates in South Florida urged Congress to intervene before TPS expired, warning that deportations could separate families, disrupt businesses and place additional pressure on communities in both countries.
Donalds’ position puts him on the side of the Trump administration’s broader immigration policy as he prepares for the November 2026 gubernatorial election. He won the Republican nomination on August 18 and will face Democrat David Jolly in the general election.
The Haiti issue is likely to remain politically significant in Florida, where immigration, public safety and the state’s relationship with the Caribbean are closely intertwined. For Haitian families facing the loss of TPS, however, Donalds’ assurances about improving conditions in Haiti come as deportations are already underway and concerns about safety and reintegration remain unresolved.
