WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a rare bipartisan move, the House took an initial step to protect the hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in the US from being deported. It’s a huge pushback towards the Trump Administration, which has ended a temporary protective program for Haitians to live and work in the US.
After the 2010 devastating earthquake on the Caribbean island of Haiti, the Department of Homeland Security opened up a program, known as the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians. TPS gives foreign nationals temporary benefits like protection from deportation and work authorization in the US. Over the years, TPS has been renewed for Haitians due to natural disasters, health crisis and ongoing political instability in Haiti. We’re told about 350-thousand Haitians were in the US under TPS.
In February, the Trump Administration ended TPS for Haitians. DHS said Haiti no longer meets the conditions for its designation for TPS. A federal judge halted the move. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case regarding Haiti’s TPS status this month.
“Congress must do something,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D- MA) on the House floor on Wednesday.
In a rare bipartisan moment in the House, they took the first procedural step on Wednesday to extend TPS for Haitians.
“Temporary protected status is a legal status for 1.3 million immigrants in the United States,” said Rep. Pressley. “The application process is arduous requiring piles of paperwork, undergoing a background check, spending hundreds of dollars and coming from one of the few countries on the list, like Haiti or Venezuela.”
Those in support of extending TPS for Haitians argued on the House floor the State Department claims it’s too dangerous for American citizens to go to Haiti due to kidnapping, gang violence and widespread violence, “and yet they say it’s safe for Haitians to return there.”
Supporters of extending TPS said say ending the program for Haitians would not just be a humanitarian catastrophe, but it hurt our economy, too.
“Haitians work in critical sectors like healthcare, education, caregiving, supporting our elderly and working in local hospitals,” said Rep. Laura Gillen (D- NY). “Many have built thriving businesses and built our faith community.”
