Letter to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly Regarding Temporary Protected Status for Haitians Living in the United States

SUMMARY

The City Bar President, with the assistance of the Immigration and Nationality Law Committee (Farrin Anello, Chair), called upon Department of Homeland Secretary John Kelly to extend Haiti’s designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s current 18-month designation of Haiti for TPS expires on July 22. Extension of TPS for Haiti is critical to protect New York residents who fled the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti and who would still face dangerous and often life-threatening conditions if forced to return to Haiti.  Approximately 94,000 New Yorkers originate from Haiti, about 50,000 of whom are currently protected by TPS.  Deporting Haitians at this moment would send tens of thousands back to a country still struggling to recover from Hurricane Matthew, the cholera epidemic, and the resulting insecurity felt across the country.  The recommendation of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that conditions have improved enough to end the TPS of Haitians is premature and not grounded in fact.