Thousands of Haitian families in Montgomery County face job losses, fear of deportation and disrupted daily life after the federal government ended Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants, County Executive Marc Elrich said at his weekly media briefing, according to Bethesda Magazine.
The termination, which took effect July 27, immediately invalidated work authorization documents for more than 330,000 Haitians nationally, according to the American Immigration Council. No county-specific figure was provided, but Elrich said the county is "home to thousands of Haitian families who work, raise children here, run small businesses and contribute to our community every single day."
The impact stretches across Montgomery County, including Potomac, where Haitian residents work in healthcare facilities, schools and local businesses.
Many came to the United States because of political unrest and the 2010 earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people, Elrich said. Haiti has held TPS designation since January 2010. The Trump administration announced the termination in November 2025, and a 6-3 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 25 in Mullin v. Doe cleared the legal path by stripping federal courts of jurisdiction over non-constitutional TPS challenges, according to a legal analysis from Global Immigration Blog.
Federal guidance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services states that Employment Authorization Documents issued to Haitian TPS holders are no longer valid, and employers must reverify affected workers or stop employing them.
Healthcare workforce at risk
Genevieve Augustine, director of legal services at the Central American Resource Center, known as CARECEN, joined Elrich at the briefing alongside the Rev. Evans Faustin, executive director of the Caribbean Health Center in Silver Spring.
Augustine said Haitian workers are heavily represented in healthcare professions across the county, and the loss of work authorization is creating a workforce crisis.
"Haitians are very dominant in the healthcare professions, and people just don't know who's going to help take care of people," Augustine said. "People are in a panic. Like, who is going to take care of all the people?"
She described one case: a woman who came to the United States at about age 5, grew up here, became a nurse practitioner and is now 30 years old. TPS was her only legal basis to remain in the country.
Fear rippling through families
Faustin said many Haitian residents have already lost jobs, while others quit because they are afraid of encountering immigration enforcement officers at work or on their commute. He warned the fear extends beyond employment, saying children may not attend school because parents fear ICE will come to their homes while kids are away, and families may avoid hospitals and public transportation.
Augustine said CARECEN is assembling a "stories list" to amplify the voices of those affected, but many are reluctant to speak publicly because they fear becoming a target of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
How residents can get help
CARECEN offers monthly workshops, Know Your Rights presentations, free consultations and legal services to affected residents. The Caribbean Health Center, located at 10140 Sutherland Rd. in Silver Spring, provides immigration assistance, health services and employment support. Residents seeking legal guidance can contact CARECEN for its next scheduled workshop.
