Biden Admin Renews and Redesignates TPS for Haiti: Could Benefit Up to 100,000 Haitians

 

New York, NY—Today, the Biden Administration announced that it would be renewing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than the 50,000 Haitians living in the U.S., and redesignating TPS for Haitians for those who arrived in the U.S. after 2010, which could benefit up to 100,000 additional people. The Trump administration had abruptly announced the end of the program in 2017 causing immense insecurity for community members who were under threat of separation from their families and deportation back to a country that remains unstable.

“Today, the Biden administration affirmed America’s commitment to its humanitarian values,“ said Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director for The New York Immigration Coalition. “Haitian New Yorkers can now rest easier knowing that their families can stay together and in their communities as a vital part of our economic and social fabric. The situation in Haiti remains dire, which is why TPS remains a lifeline for Haitian families fleeing environmental degradation, violence and extreme poverty in their home country. However, the only way to ensure that Haitian New Yorkers and other TPS recipients no longer fall prey to the political whims of our elected leaders is for Congress to take steps now, to correct the situation with a permanent legislative fix. We demand that our Democratic Congressional leadership, led by New York Senator Chuck Schumer, use the budget reconciliation process to ensure a pathway to citizenship for all TPS recipients, Dream Act eligible youth, and Essential Workers. It’s both the right and the moral thing to do for immigrants who are in every way American."

We urge everyone who may qualify to consult a lawyer or reach out to a trusted source of information on where to get services and support to apply or renew your TPS. Individuals can call the New York State New American hotline at 1-800-566-7636 if they need a referral or to report fraud.

Background
Temporary Protected Status is a designation afforded to nationals of countries all over the globe experiencing a humanitarian crises such as violent conflict, environmental disasters, or epidemics that would prevent nationals from returning safely. As of today, there are an estimated 325,000 TPS recipients living in the United States, representing eleven TPS-designated countries: Burma, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Over 30,000 TPS recipients reside in New York, including 16,200 Salvadorans, 4,600 Hondurans, and 5,200 Haitians.

 

 

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