House bucks Trump, votes to shield Haitian immigrants from potential deportation

CongressHouse bucks Trump, votes to shield Haitian immigrants from potential deportationThursday's vote marked the fourth time this Congress that a handful of Republicans teamed up with Democrats to force a House vote on legislation opposed by GOP leadership.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00People attend a candlelight vigil for Haitians living in the U.S. under the Temporary Protected Status immigration program in Miami on Feb. 3.Giorgio Viera / AFP via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 16, 2026, 2:22 PM EDTBy Scott Wong and Kyla GuilfoilWASHINGTON — The House on Thursday passed legislation that would reinstate temporary protections for Haitian immigrants living in the U.S., breaking with President Donald Trump on immigration.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The successful vote occurred after a handful of Republicans defied their own GOP leadership and teamed up with Democrats on a discharge petition to force the vote on the House floor.It passed 224-204, with 10 Republicans voting yes.The White House has vowed that Trump would veto the bill should it reach his desk. It next heads to the Senate, but it’s unclear if it can pass the upper chamber.The bill would require the Homeland Security secretary to designate Haiti for temporary protected status (TPS) for three years, as Haitians here find themselves in legal limbo. The Trump administration has moved to terminate TPS for Haitians, but a federal court stepped in to block Trump’s move.The president’s attempts to remove TPS status for immigrants from both Haiti and Syria are now before the Supreme Court.FORSUBSCRIBERS00:0000:00Trump attends SCOTUS birthright citizenship arguments01:50“The Administration understands members have to vote their districts at times. This terrible bill is going nowhere and there has been a veto threat issued,” a White House official said Thursday. “The administration is focused on enf...