By Seven House Republicans joined Democrats on Thursday to pass a measure extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for roughly 350,000 Haitian migrants, narrowly approving the legislation in a 220–207 vote.
BREAKING: The House just voted 224 to 204 to PASS a 3 year extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 350,000 Haitians living in the U.S.
10 House Republicans + 1 independent voted w/ Dems to pass it.
Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL)
Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)
Rep. Brian…— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) April 16, 2026
The bill would block deportations for eligible Haitian nationals, preserving their legal status as the issue continues to face legal challenges in federal courts.
I shot this video while on a boat in the Rio Grande in Del Rio, TX on 9/18/2021 as 15,000+ Haitians flooded across the border illegally and set up a camp underneath the international bridge. Mayorkas later admitted 12,000+ of them were released into the U.S.
Many of them later… pic.twitter.com/s2p6dDrAtN
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) April 16, 2026
n, allegedly killed a woman in Fort Myers, Florida, on April 3 by repeatedly striking her in the head with a hammer, according to a Department of Homeland Security statement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement assisted local authorities in locating and arresting the suspect, explained The Daily Caller.
Haitian illegal immigrant bludgeons mother of two to death with hammer outside Florida gas station in broad daylight. The Haitian native arrived in the US in August 2022 and was released into the country by the Biden administration, which had granted him Temporary Protected… pic.twitter.com/ldzM7sNsoP
— D. Scott @eclipsethis2003 (@eclipsethis2003) April 8, 2026
A Trump administration official criticized the timing of the vote, linking it directly to the recent killing.
“Six days ago, a Haitian man beat a woman to death with a hammer. Yesterday, a Republican majority Congress voted to keep 350K Haitians here, an average of 18 per city. The blood from this woman’s skull had barely dried in the cracks of the Florida pavement before pro-amnesty republicans began marching over her grave in an effort to keep these ‘doctors and lawyers’ in our streets,” the official told the outlet.
Texas Republican Rep. Brandon Gill also opposed the measure, arguing it would encourage further illegal immigration.
“The American people resoundingly reject mass migration, and it’s time for Congress to listen to them. We must reject any form of amnesty. If we reward illegal immigration, we only incentivize more illegal immigration. It’s time for Congress to put our people first.”
The legislation comes as the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on April 29 in Trump v. Miot, a case consolidated with a related challenge involving Syrian TPS. The Trump administration moved to terminate Haiti’s TPS designation in late 2025, setting an initial end date of February 3, 2026.
A federal district court in Washington, D.C., blocked the termination, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld that decision. The Supreme Court granted expedited review, but the lower court’s stay remains in effect, allowing TPS recipients to retain work authorization and protection from deportation for now.
Tennessee Republican Rep. Tim Burchett suggested political and ideological motivations may have influenced support for the measure, referencing the Fort Myers case.
“I think you probably have some Haitians in your district that vote. … Or you’re just of the liberal mindset that. And some people honestly just have a real dislike for this country in a little bubble, thinking that they, you’re just gonna. Tear it all down and build it back up,” Burchett said.
Rep. Andy Ogles, also a Tennessee Republican, framed the extension as a threat to national sovereignty.
“I will never be an amnesty Republican, and I will spend every day of my career in Congress destroying their aims to crush our sovereignty,” Ogles stated. “TPS for Haitians is a national betrayal.”
One of the Republicans who voted with the bill seemed proud and thrilled.
Proud to join a bipartisan effort alongside Rep. Gillen to pushing for an extension for Haitian Temporary Protected Status. We were joined by Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Whip Katherine Clark, and a bipartisan group of our colleagues who are moving forward with a discharge petition to… pic.twitter.com/zcOTVHtpvm
— Congressman Mike Lawler (@RepMikeLawler) April 16, 2026
Ayanna Pressley, as some may recall, is a member of “The Squad,” a group of radical leftwingers led by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar.
The vote highlights continuing divisions within the Republican Party over immigration policy, especially in swing districts, even as the Trump administration prioritizes stricter enforcement. The Supreme Court’s forthcoming decision is expected to play a decisive role in determining the future of TPS protections for Haitian nationals.
President Trump would almost certainly veto the bill if it came to his desk.
[Read More: Trump Fulfilling Immigration Promise At Rapid Speed]
