Hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants in the United States, including those who crossed the border into Del Rio, Texas, in 2021, have been forced to self-deport within days, according to Trump administration officials.The Department of Homeland Security’s Supreme Court victory on June 25 allowed the Trump administration not to extend temporary protected status for people from Haiti and Syria for another 18 months. Roughly 335,000 of the more than 1 million TPS recipients now must quickly leave the country or risk being arrested by federal immigration officers.However, given President Donald Trump’s focus on carrying out the largest-ever deportation effort in history, that decision has also potentially opened the door for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to go after those who do not leave the country by Wednesday, July 1, when TPS expires for both countries. TPS recipients receive documents to work and protection from ICE on the basis that the home country is not stable enough to accept its citizens back.
With well over 10 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., there is no shortage of individuals ICE could focus on arresting, but given Trump’s love for pomp and circumstance, sending in ICE to regions of the country with large Haitian or Syrian populations may appeal to the White House, especially given Trump’s long-standing focus on Haitians.Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned as much on Monday.“You have to leave. We’re going to assist you in doing so, and if you choose not to, then we’ll pick you up and force you to leave,” Mullin told Fox News.DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Syrian and Haitian TPS recipients: "You have to leave. We're going to assist you in doing so, and if you choose not to, then we'll pick you up and force you to leave." pic.twitter.com/eRymZGBe7w— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 29, 2026
