Mast Votes No as House Passes Haitian TPS Bill, Leaving Treasure Coast Community in Limbo

Rep. Brian Mast voted against a House bill Thursday that would extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitian migrants through 2029, breaking with three of his Florida Republican colleagues and placing him squarely against a measure with direct consequences for one of the largest Haitian-American communities in Florida — concentrated in his own backyard.

The bill, H.R. 1689, passed 224-204, with 10 Republicans joining all voting House Democrats. Florida Republican Reps. María Elvira Salazar, Carlos Gimenez, and Mario Diaz-Balart crossed the aisle to vote yes. Mast voted no. Florida Reps. Greg Steube and Scott Franklin also voted no. Officials said

Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie are home to one of Florida's largest Haitian-American populations Officials said, meaning Thursday's vote lands with unusual weight in St. Lucie County. Community reaction from local Haitian-American leaders and advocacy organizations was not immediately available and is still being sought for this report.

The bill was forced to the floor by Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., co-chair of the House Haiti Caucus, using a discharge petition — a rarely invoked procedural maneuver that bypasses House leadership. Speaker Mike Johnson opposed the bill.

"This is a monumental victory in a long-fought battle to protect the safety, dignity, and humanity of our Haitian neighbors," Pressley said in a statement after passage.

The White House, however, said Trump would veto the bill if it clears the Senate, where it faces a steep climb against a Republican majority. "This terrible bill is going nowhere," a White House statement said.

The stakes are not abstract. TPS for Haiti, first granted in 2010 following a catastrophic earthquake, currently shields more than 330,000 Haitians from deportation. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on the Trump administration's effort to end that status this month, with a decision expected by June.

Compounding the local pressure: the Trump administration has cut $11 million in federal funding to Catholic Charities, according to reporting by the Deseret News, threatening a Miami-based program serving migrant children. Catholic Charities operates migrant services that reach into the Treasure Coast coverage area Officials said.

The CBS News report on the Miami program's potential closure — sourced through Google News aggregation — requires primary confirmation. A call to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach is outstanding before this element can be reported with full confidence.

Mast's office did not respond to a request for comment before publication. Officials said

The Sentinel is seeking comment from St. Lucie County OEM, local Haitian-American community organizations in Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie, and Catholic Charities' regional office.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.