An Immigration and Customs Enforcement charter flight carrying 161 Haitian nationals landed at Cap-Haïtien International Airport in northern Haiti on Thursday, marking the first deportation flight to the country since the Trump administration terminated Temporary Protected Status for Haitians last month.

The flight originated in Alexandria, Louisiana, with a stop in Miami before arriving shortly before noon local time, according to Haitian aviation officials and the Department of Homeland Security. Passengers ranged in age from 19 to 71, and the group included individuals with final removal orders as well as some with criminal convictions.

Temporary Protected Status for Haiti ended on July 27, 2026, after the Department of Homeland Security determined that conditions in the country no longer warranted the designation. More than 300,000 Haitians who had been shielded from deportation and granted work authorization lost those protections. The termination followed a Supreme Court decision upholding the authority to end the program.

U.S. officials have informed Haitian authorities that deportation flights to Cap-Haïtien will increase to twice weekly, with plans to return approximately 250 individuals per week. This marks a shift from earlier 2026 flights, which occurred before the TPS expiration.

Haiti continues to face significant security challenges, with much of the capital under gang control. Deportation flights have been routed to the northern city of Cap-Haïtien to avoid the most unstable areas. The State Department maintains a level four travel advisory for the entire country.

The Trump administration has prioritized enforcement actions against those who no longer hold legal status following the TPS termination. Community organizations in the United States have reported increased arrests in recent weeks targeting Haitian nationals subject to removal.

This flight represents the eighth deportation operation to Haiti from the United States this year but the first conducted after the expiration of humanitarian protections for the large Haitian population in the country.