Haitian Immigration Policy Adjustments After the Earthquake

UUSC signed a letter to Secretary Janet Napolitano of to offer thanks for the early steps taken by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in supporting Haitians in the United States by giving them the opportunity to apply for TPS status and by calling for important additional steps to be taken, such as: establishing the Haitian Family Reunification Parole; granting humanitarian parole and protected status to those with family members with TPS; establishing a lottery system to give options for humanitarian parole to those who don't qualify for other immigration status; considering releasing detained Haitians if charges not filed; and ending the "shout test" which currently allows the U.S. Coast Guard to turn back flotillas of Haitians as though they are not protected by Refugee Conventions.