A group of senators is asking the Biden administration to expand Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, to Haitians newly arriving in the U.S.

TPS is a status given to about a dozen nationalities from countries deemed unsafe to return to because of conflict, natural disaster or other violence. It provides temporary protection from deportation to recipients and a work permit, but must re-designated to apply to new arrivals. 

The last time that happened for Haiti in May of last year. In a letter sent to DHS and State Department officials, more than a dozen Democratic senators say that status should be extended now — as food shortages, gang violence and political upheaval continue to drive more Haitians to flee their country.

Haiti's turmoil has been worsening since July 2021, when Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated and a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the island just a month later.