The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has updated guidance for issuing credentials to Haitians with Temporary Protected Status, or TPS.
Despite a court order extending Haiti’s TPS designation through March 15, many TPS holders across the state have had trouble renewing items such as their driver’s licenses.
Many driver license offices have denied renewals because licenses were originally issued based on the prior TPS expiration date, which was set for Feb. 3.
Without such credentials, TPS holders have been left in limbo.
Now, FLHSMV has provided updated guidance clarifying that beneficiaries who present qualifying documentation — such as a valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD) or an approved I-821 form with specified expiration dates — remain eligible for services through March 15.
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Marleine Bastiene and County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez are hosting multiple driver’s license events for Haiti Temporary Protected Status recipients.
“A driver’s license is not a luxury — it is a lifeline,” said Commissioner Bastiene. “It means the ability to get to work, provide for your family, and move through our community with dignity. We are committed to ensuring our neighbors have the documentation they need and the support they deserve," said Commissioner Bastien.
The Tax Collector’s TConnect mobile office unit will be available to the community between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, and Friday, Feb. 20, at Father Gerard Jean-Juste Community Center at Oak Grove Park (690 NE 159th St., Miami, FL 33162).
It also will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Griffin Park (428 NE 123rd St., North Miami, FL 33161).
“By taking our services directly into the community, we are expanding access and making it easier for residents to receive assistance in a professional and efficient manner. That is our responsibility, and we take it seriously,” said Fernandez.
READ MORE: Judge blocks Trump administration from ending TPS for hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants
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