Haiti Deportation Flights Rising to Once a Week

By the Editorial Team · Friday, August 28, 2026

The U.S. government is increasing deportation flights to Haiti from once a month to once a week to expedite the removal of Haitians whose Temporary Protected Status ended this summer. Human rights groups warn that Haiti’s overwhelmed authorities and ongoing violence make it unsafe for these forced returns, risking further humanitarian crises.

The U.S. government plans to increase the frequency of deportation flights to Haiti from once a month to once a week, according to documents obtained by officials, a move aimed at accelerating the removal of thousands of Haitians whose protected legal status expired this summer. The policy shift follows the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, a humanitarian program that temporarily shielded migrants from deportation due to unsafe conditions in their home country.

A recent flight carrying 57 deportees arrived in Cap Haitien, Haiti’s second-largest city, just before noon on Thursday. Human Rights Watch personnel at the airport reported a difficult situation as another flight carrying a large group of deportees from the Bahamas had landed shortly before. The influx surpassed the capacity of the Haitian migration authorities and the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) to process and receive the arrivals. Many of the U.S.-deported individuals were left waiting in tents, with some appearing confused and distressed, said Nathalye Cotrino, a senior researcher with Human Rights Watch.

Bill O’Neill, the United Nations human rights expert for Haiti, characterized the volume of deportees arriving in one day as unmanageable. “There is no way the Haitian government can handle this,” he said, noting the lack of adequate infrastructure to support those being returned. O’Neill also highlighted recent violence, including a massacre in Kenscoff near Port-au-Prince, as emblematic of the dangerous environment migrants are being sent back to. “No country should be forcing Haitians to return because there is no guarantee of a safe, dignified, and sustainable return,” he added.

The decision to end TPS for Haitians followed a June U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allowed the federal government to terminate the program. The Trump administration had determined Haiti was sufficiently safe for deportations to resume despite continuing instability marked by widespread gang activity and violence. Daniel Foote, former U.S. special envoy to Haiti who resigned in 2021 over concerns about the treatment of Haitian migrants, cautioned that conditions in Haiti have not improved. “Not only has it not gotten better, it hasn’t stabilized,” Foote said. “It just continues to get worse and worse.”

U.S. officials have been directing deportation flights to Cap Haitien rather than the more dangerous and congested Port-au-Prince area, seeking safer arrival points for migrants. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had previously conducted flights to Cap Haitien once a month, but deportations have increased, with more than 160 Haitians sent there in a recent flight. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, reported that more than a dozen individuals on these flights had criminal records, but declined to confirm future flight plans citing security concerns.

The expansion to weekly flights aims to expedite the removal of Haitians who had legal status under TPS but are now subject to deportation. Still, it will take time to reach the estimated 300,000 Haitians living in the U.S. under the program before its expiration. The administration has also promoted voluntary departures by offering flights and a cash payment of $2,600 through an app.

Violence remains pervasive in Haiti. The United Nations reported over 3,000 homicides during the first half of 2026, with many incidents centered around the capital and its outskirts. The latest surge of deportations is raising concern among human rights advocates and UN officials who warn that forced returns may exacerbate humanitarian challenges in a country with limited capacity to absorb new arrivals. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the policy shift, noting that TPS was never intended as a permanent solution, but acknowledged previous administrations had extended the protections beyond their original scope.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.