On Sunday July 20, 2025, during the last evening of the big four -day conference of the Tabernacle of Glory, Bishop Gregory Toussaint awarded a plaque of honor to the Haitian Evangelical Clergy Association (Heca), officially recognizing the decisive role played by this organization in the defense of Haitian immigrants’ rights. This recognition occurs a few weeks after a major legal victory which preserved the temporary protection status (TPS) for more than 500,000 Haitians residing in the United States.
The context: a new attack on the Haitian TPS
The Trump administration offensive
In February 2025, the Trump administration launched a new offensive against the humanitarian protections of Haitian immigrants. On February 24, internal security secretary Kristi Noem announced a “partial revocation” of the haiti/”>haiti/”>haiti/”>Haiti TPS designation, reducing the protection period from 18 months to 12 months and advancing the expiration date from February 3, 2026 to August 3, 2025.
Discriminatory motivations
According to the complaint filed by Heca, this decision is part of a racial discrimination pattern of the Trump administration. The document cites the controversial declarations of President Trump during his campaign, including his unfounded affirmations that the Haitians of Springfield, Ohio, “flew and ate domestic animals of American citizens”. The complaint also mentions its comments according to which non-Black immigrants “poison the blood” of the United States and its preference expressed for immigrants from “pleasant” countries such as Switzerland and Norway.
Key actors: Heca and its partners
The association of the Haitian evangelical clergy (Heca)
Heca is described in the complaint as “an association of churches located in Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, and elsewhere in the East district of New York”. The organization’s mission is to “promote the Christian Gospel and prepare the parishioners to be good terrestrial citizens”. Most of Heca’s parishioners are Haitians, and many are TPS holders.
The leader: Rev. Dr. Samuel Nicolas
The Rev. Dr. Samuel Nicolas, principal pastor of the Evangelical Crusade Christian Church and president of Heca, imposed himself as the figurehead of this legal battle. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and emigrated to the United States at the age of 9, Pastor Nicolas combines 28 years of experience in public service with his religious ministry.
Coalition partners
The complaint was filed jointly by:
- Heca (Haitian Evangelical Clergy Association)
- Seiu Local 32BJ (Employees International Union service)
- Nine Haitian individuals TPS holders, representing thousands of others in similar situations
Legal strategy: a multifacette challenge
The main arguments
The 57-page complaint, filed on March 14, 2025 before the United States District Court for the District is in New York, articulates several fundamental legal arguments:
1. Violation of the administrative procedure:
- Secretary Noem did not have the legal authority to “partially revoke” a TPS designation
- The administration failed to follow the statutory procedures mandated by the Congress
- No periodic revision of the conditions in Haiti was made as required by law
2. Violation of constitutional rights:
- The decision was motivated by President Trump’s Racial Animus to non-Black immigrants
- Violation of regular procedural clauses and equal protection of the fifth amendment
3. Imminent and irreparable damage:
- TPS holders would immediately lose their work permit
- Risk of deportation to a country that the US Department of State itself considers dangerous
Catastrophic conditions in Haiti
The complaint carefully details the disastrous situation in Haiti, citing official data:
- Gangs control 85% Port-au-Prince
- More than 5,600 people were killed and 1,400 kidnapped in 2024 only
- More than a million people are homeless
- The health system collapsed with only 37% of functional health establishments
The judicial decision: a historic victory
Judge Brian Cogan and his verdict
THE July 1, 2025the district judge Brian Mr. Cogan rendered a 23 -page decision blocking the Trump administration attempt to end the Haitian TPS prematurely. In his judgment, judge Cogan declared without ambiguity:
“Secretary Noem does not have the statutory or inherent authority to partially revoke the TPS designation of a country”
The key points of the decision
1. Limited authority by the secretary:
The judge established that the secretary cannot reconsider the Haiti TPS designation in a manner which takes effect before February 3, 2026, the expiration date of the previous extension.
2. Legitimate interest interests:
“When the government gives a profit over a fixed period, a beneficiary can reasonably expect to receive this profit at least until the end of this fixed period”
3. irreparable damage:
The judge recognized that the complainants had “enrolled their children in schools, taken jobs, and started medical treatments in the United States, relying on the fact that the Haiti TPS designation would last until February 3, 2026”.
The immediate impact
This decision had immediate repercussions:
- 500,000+ Haitians protected from deportation until February 2026
- Preservation of labor authorizations For hundreds of thousands of families
- Found stability For Haitian communities across the United States
Political and community repercussions
The recognition of Bishop Grégory Toussaint
The presentation of the honor plate in Heca by Bishop Gregory Toussaint during the conference of the Tabernacle of Glory marks an official recognition of the crucial role played by the Haitian evangelical pastors in this victory. This ceremony highlights the importance of collective action and civic commitment within the Haitian religious community.
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