‘Going back is practically death’: Haitian immigrants fear Trump’s efforts to send them back to a country in crisis

At eight months pregnant, 28-year-old Haitian immigrant Titi is terrified of being deported to her native country.

Titi, who asked to be identified only by a pseudonym out of fear of being targeted by immigration authorities, came to the United States with her younger sister in 2024 after fleeing widespread gang violence in Haiti that made even routine activities, such as walking to a supermarket, dangerous.

The sisters entered the US using the CBP One app — a system launched in 2020 designed primarily for commercial truck drivers and other industry users and expanded in 2023 to allow asylum seekers to schedule appointments at the southern border before entering the country.

In November 2024, Titi and her sister applied for additional relief under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which has allowed Haitian immigrants to live and work in the US since a massive earthquake struck Haiti in 2010. Titi said they are still awaiting a decision.

President Donald Trump’s administration has since revoked the legal status of migrants who entered the country through CBP One, The Associated Press reported in April.