New York Attorney General Letitia James has urgently called on the Trump administration to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Jamaicans in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, struck Jamaica on Oct. 28, causing severe destruction, killing at least 45 people, and displacing thousands.
In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, James urges the administration to immediately grant TPS for Jamaicans.
“Hurricane Melissa’s impact on Jamaica was catastrophic,” states the letter. “Melissa was the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record, and, on Oct. 28, 2025, it hit Jamaica at its peak as a Category 5 hurricane. Dozens of Jamaicans were killed, and others remain missing.
“The storm displaced tens of thousands of Jamaican households and caused widespread damage to the country’s infrastructure, including its water, transportation, and power systems,” it adds. “Recovery will likely take months, if not years.”
The letter states that Congress has given the Executive Branch “the power to grant humanitarian relief under circumstances such as these.”
It states that, under the Immigration and Nationality Act, “the federal government may grant TPS to Jamaicans presently in the United States where, as here, ‘extraordinary and temporary conditions’ in Jamaica prevent its citizens from safely returning.
“TPS is a critical humanitarian tool to ensure that our nation’s immigration policy remains consistent with our long history of providing safe haven to those who flee armed conflict, natural disasters, and repressive conditions,” the letter adds.
“In this moment, it is incumbent upon the United States to honor our humanitarian commitments,” it continues. “We implore the administration to grant TPS for Jamaica without further delay.”
James later told Caribbean Life that Hurricane Melissa has caused “unimaginable damage to our neighbors in Jamaica, displacing tens of thousands of people, destroying vital infrastructure, and severely limiting access to basic necessities.
“Forcing Jamaicans in the United States to return home to a devastated island would be dangerous and cruel,” she said.
“Situations like this are exactly what TPS was intended for, and our federal government should extend TPS to Jamaicans to help keep people safe while the island rebuilds.”
The New York Attorney General stated that TPS allows eligible individuals in the United States, who are unable to return to their home countries, to live and work safely in the US with legal status.
She noted that the US has previously granted TPS to immigrants from countries such as Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal following similar natural disasters.
The New York Attorney General said that, in 1999, following Hurricane Mitch, DHS designated Honduras and Nicaragua for TPS “to protect residents of those countries from deportation due to the unsafe conditions in their home countries.”
She said DHS also designated Haiti in 2010 and Nepal in 2015 for TPS following devastating earthquakes in both countries.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Jr. said that, as the son of a Jamaican father, “the images coming out of Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa’s historic rampage across the island break my heart.
“Countless families have been left without homes and livelihoods, and the United States must do all it can to support our Caribbean brothers and sisters in their time of need,” he said. “Now is not the time to play politics.
“The Trump administration must immediately extend Temporary Protected Status to Jamaicans as they begin the arduous, painstaking work of rebuilding their lives and their nation,” Richards added. “And we, as Americans, must do all we can on every level of government to ensure that they are not alone in this effort.”
New York State Assemblyman Brian Cunningham, the son of Jamaican immigrants, said that extending TPS to Jamaicans is “a moral imperative that reflects our nation’s values.
“It will allow Jamaicans already here to remain with dignity, security, and the ability to support their families as their homeland begins the long road to recovery,” said the representative for the 43rd Assembly District in Brooklyn.
New York City Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, said she stood with Attorney General James in calling for TPS for Jamaicans.
“The devastation left behind by Hurricane Melissa is unimaginable,” said Brooks-Powers, who represents the 31st City Council District in Queens.
“Extending TPS is not only the right thing to do, it is a critical measure that honors our city’s deep ties to Jamaica and our shared responsibility to protect those seeking safety and stability in this moment of crisis,” she added.
New York State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the Haitian-American chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, thanked James for “standing up for our Jamaican communities.
“Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica this past October, leaving thousands of families without basic necessities like electricity, clean water, and, in many cases, causing the loss of loved ones,” said the daughter of Haitian immigrants, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn.
“It is not safe for Jamaicans currently in the United States to return home, and extending Temporary Protected Status will ensure they can remain here legally while their families and communities recover,” Bichotte Hermelyn added. “I stand with Attorney General James and urge the federal government to act swiftly to protect these vulnerable communities.”
Last week, Caribbean-American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke led 43 of her colleagues in a letter to Noem urging Trump to immediately designate TPS for Jamaicans.
Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn. She also chairs the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).
“Jamaica is currently confronting widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. The storm has left countless residents without homes, electricity, clean water, or access to medical care. Roads and vital infrastructure have been destroyed, communities are struggling to recover, and the Government of Jamaica faces immense challenges in restoring essential services,” the letter says.
“Tens of thousands have been displaced, and recovery is expected to take months — if not years. Under these conditions, it would be unsafe and inhumane to require Jamaican nationals currently residing in the United States to return home,” the letter adds. “The United States has a longstanding and close relationship with Jamaica. Congress established TPS precisely for moments such as this — when natural disasters or humanitarian crises render a country temporarily uninhabitable.
“Extending TPS to Jamaican nationals would reaffirm our nation’s commitments and ensure that individuals are not forced to return to life-threatening conditions,” continues the letter, stating that, pursuant to Section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security may designate a country for TPS when extraordinary and temporary conditions – such as environmental disasters – prevent its nationals from safely returning home.
“We believe the situation in Jamaica clearly meets this statutory standard,” the letter says. “We, therefore, strongly urge you to immediately designate Jamaica for Temporary Protected Status under the Immigration and Nationality Act; allow all eligible Jamaican nationals currently residing in the United States to remain here lawfully and continue contributing to our communities; and coordinate with federal, state, and international partners to support Jamaica’s recovery and strengthen disaster resilience across the Caribbean region.”
The legislators further urged the Trump administration to “stand firmly with Jamaica during this crisis.
“Our nations are bound by shared history, culture, and family ties,” they said. “Many of our constituents are deeply affected by this tragedy, and we respectfully urge you to grant TPS for Jamaica without delay.”
Caribbean immigration advocates in New York have also urged Trump to protect Jamaicans in New York by granting them TPS.
“Given the scale of this natural disaster and humanitarian crisis that is unfolding, the Trump administration must act with urgency to grant TPS to Jamaica, ensuring that all 230,000 Jamaicans in New York state can stay without the fear of being deported as the island faces a long road to recovery,” Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York, told Caribbean Life.
“Hurricane Melissa’s aftermath reveals the devastating reality of natural disasters,” he added. “Across Jamaica, many are left with destroyed homes and businesses, and the painful task of rebuilding their lives. As the island faces a long road to recovery, the Trump administration must meet this moment and designate TPS for Jamaica.”
In New York, Awawdeh said TPS has “enabled our immigrant neighbors to work legally, support their families, and contribute to the local economy.
“In contrast, deporting Jamaicans back to a country in the middle of a humanitarian crisis would be reckless and inhumane,” he said. “We urge the administration to immediately designate TPS for Jamaica, ensuring they have legal protections, stability, and dignity to continue to rebuild their lives without the fear of being ripped away from their loved ones.”
