By Emily Chaffins -
MIAMI |At least 40 Catholic Health Services employees in the Archdiocese of Miami could lose their jobs if Temporary Protected Status protections for many Haitians expire after the July 27 federal deadline, underscoring the uncertainty facing thousands of South Florida families.
- Supreme Court paves way for Trump administration to end TPS for Haiti
- Haitians are ‘a people of hope’ despite Supreme Court’s TPS decision
As the Miami Herald reported, the federal government cannot end deportation protections for Haitians before July 27, according to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in Washington, D.C. After the July 27 deadline, however, some Haitian TPS beneficiaries may be at risk of deportation and unemployment.
Unless another court order or federal action intervenes, employment authorization for many Haitian TPS beneficiaries is expected to expire after July 27, putting their ability to work legally at risk.
According to Vanessa Joseph, managing attorney at Catholic Legal Services, “potentially a lot of people [could] lose their status entirely. Other folks may be more susceptible to deportation. And finally, folks whose work permits expire will lose the benefit of being able to work.”
Joseph was interviewed by the WPLG Local 10 News team on July 24 at the Archdiocese of Miami’s Pastoral Center in Miami Shores. She urged beneficiaries to seek individualized legal advice, echoing her statement during a June 25 archdiocesan press conference: “I think it's really important that people not operate on fear, not operate on rumors, but instead seek out legal advice that is direct and specific to their case because every single case is different, even if cases look the same.”
Photographer: Emily Chaffins
Vanessa Joseph, managing attorney at Catholic Legal Services, is interviewed by the WPLG Local 10 News team July 24, 2026 at the Archdiocese of Miami’s Pastoral Center in Miami Shores. Joseph spoke about how Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) deadline is affecting South Florida’s community.
The Haitian TPS controversy continues after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 25 that the Department of Homeland Security can discontinue Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian and Syrian nationals, creating uncertainty and anxiety for many of the nearly 160,000 Haitian TPS beneficiaries living in Florida.
The Supreme Court's 6-3 decision concluded that the Department of Homeland Security has broad authority to end TPS designations and that those decisions are generally not subject to judicial review. The ruling overturned lower court orders that had temporarily blocked the administration from ending protections while the case proceeded.
Although H.R. 1689 — a Congressional bill that would add three additional years of TPS — passed the House of Representatives in April, the legislation has stalled in the Senate.
Regarding the Catholic Health Services employees whose employment is at risk, Archbishop Thomas Wenski said in a July 24 statement, “These men and women are more than employees—they are members of our Church and our community. They care for the sick, comfort the elderly, and serve some of the most vulnerable among us with compassion and dedication.”
“Their uncertainty is our concern,” he said. “Catholic Health Services remains committed to supporting these valued employees throughout this process while ensuring full compliance with federal law.”
The affected employees serve in a variety of patient care and support roles across Catholic Health Services, helping care for patients and residents throughout the ministry's hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities.
Haiti’s TPS deadline carries particular weight in South Florida, home to one of the nation's largest Haitian communities. Many TPS beneficiaries have lived and worked legally in the United States for years, raising families, paying taxes, and contributing to the region's economy while Haiti continues to struggle with gang violence, political instability, and a worsening humanitarian crisis. Approximately 350,000 Haitians nationwide are covered by TPS.
Archbishop Wenski will travel to Washington, D.C. to advocating for Haitian TPS beneficiaries alongside Cardinal Chibly Langlois of Les Cayes, Haiti; Archbishop Robert G. Casey of Cincinnati, Ohio; and Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune of Charleston, South Carolina. In addition to speaking with elected officials, they will celebrate Mass in Washington on July 28, praying for the Haitian community.
“I urge our elected leaders to pursue compassionate and humane solutions that protect family unity and recognize the extraordinary circumstances facing the Haitian people,” said the archbishop. “Policies should seek not only to enforce the law but also to reflect our nation's longstanding commitment to protecting human dignity and promoting the common good.”
“To our Haitian brothers and sisters: you are not alone,” he emphasized. “The Catholic Church walks with you.”
NOTE: Catholic Legal Services is urging Haitian TPS beneficiaries not to rely on rumors or social media but to seek individualized legal advice before making decisions about their status.
