Brooklyn restaurateur says end of Haitian TPS forced layoffs and emptied neighborhood

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti was terminated by the Trump administration. TPS had originally been granted after Haiti's 2010 earthquake and extended for about 15 years. The termination removed work authorization for many Haitian immigrants living in the U.S.

Wesly Simon owns a popular Haitian restaurant in Brooklyn's Little Caribbean. He told Scripps News he was forced to lay off longstanding employees after their work authorization ended. "It's like I'm firing the whole family," Simon said, listing spouses and children among those affected. He added that many former employees have stopped going out, living off savings and staying home because they fear deportation.

Simon opened his restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparing events, he said the loss of TPS has hurt his business more than COVID did because pandemic-era stimulus and retention supports were available then, while there is no similar assistance now.

Porez Luxama, president of Life of Hope, an organization serving Haitian immigrants in Brooklyn, described the neighborhood as feeling like "COVID for us again," citing fear, anxiety, and a near-ghost town atmosphere. Both Luxama and Simon said people who had been viewed as contributors to the local economy now feel criminalized.

Reporting cites at least 5,000 Haitian immigrants in New York City and roughly 300,000 nationwide who lost the ability to work legally after TPS ended. The Department of Homeland Security announced plans to increase deportation flights to Haiti at a rate of 250 people per week, though it's unclear how many former TPS holders are included.

DHS posted a social-media video stating, "Haiti TPS has been TERMINATED. Those with terminated TPS are in our nation Illegally. They have two options: LEAVE IMMEDIATELY or be DEPORTED." The video depicts Black immigrants shackled and boarding a flight. Reporting noted uncertainty about the video's authenticity and that DHS had not answered questions about whether former TPS holders were on those flights.

What people are asking and what Simon is asking for

Simon expects ripple effects for years, pointing to workforce shortages, lost customers, and community trauma. Other business owners in cities with Haitian communities have reported similar staffing and customer-decline problems, indicating the economic impact extends beyond a single neighborhood.

• TPS for Haiti ended under the Trump administration after about 15 years of extensions.
• At least 5,000 Haitian immigrants in New York City and about 300,000 nationwide lost legal work authorization.
• DHS announced plans for deportation flights at a rate of 250 people per week.
• Community organizations report heightened fear and reduced public activity among Haitian residents.