U.S. expands deportation relief to some 264,000 Haitians

FILE PHOTO: Haitian migrants, seeking to reach the U.S., stand in temporary shelter at La Plenitud church in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico December 20, 2021. Picture taken December 20, 2021. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Biden administration will expand deportation relief and access to work permits for Haitians who are already in the United States, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said on Monday, a move that comes as Haiti's government struggles to stabilize the country.

The administration will offer Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to an estimated 264,000 Haitians for 18 months after the current designation expires in February.