Save Haitian TPS Holders from Deportation

This horrifying decision will result in thousands of needless and violent deaths, tear apart families, and incapacitate American healthcare and elder care. It undermines the rule of law that protects all of us and will create a humanitarian crisis in the United States and Haiti.

Last week, Haitians with TPS were legally working, studying, worshipping, playing, and contributing to communities across the US. Today, they are facing losing their jobs, abusive detention, and being returned to horrific conditions in Haiti. Furthermore, this decision overrules decades of Supreme Court precedent and multiple decisions by judges appointed by Republicans and Democrats alike. It ignores the Administration’s obvious racial animus and deprives courts of the ability to review abusive practices by the executive branch.

Haitians with TPS are contributing to communities across the US as neighbors, church members, community members, workers, and taxpayers. They are law-abiding community members who contribute $5.9 billion to the economy and pay $1.5 billion in taxes. They fill an estimated 200,000 jobs – especially in critical economic sectors such as healthcare, food processing, construction, manufacturing, and hospitality – that struggle to fill positions.

Without TPS, their work permits are canceled or will be shortly, leaving them without the ability to feed their families, pay bills, and send life-sustaining remittances back to Haiti. Houses will be foreclosed, cars repossessed, and emergency rooms will be crowded with people who previously had health insurance through their jobs. Families in Haiti will no longer receive the approximately $3 billion annually that they rely on to put food on the table and send their children to school.

TPS holders will face the inhumane detention process and the deadly deportation machine. Moreover, they will be leaving up to 87,000 US-born children without one or both parents, potentially forcing them into the foster care system. They will experience certain violence, hunger, displacement, and even murder in Haiti. Gangs control 90% of Port-au-Prince and large areas elsewhere. The country has the highest murder rate in the world and has the seventh-highest Global Hunger Index score in the world.

Call to Action

There is a bill to extend Haitian TPS for three years in the Senate (S. 4814). It passed through the House with bipartisan support (all Democrats, ten Republicans, and one Independent). We need you to: 

• Call your Senator as a constituent, urging them to co-sponsor S. 4814. Check if they have signed (here) and if they have not, dial (202) 224-3121 for the Congressional House switchboard, say your zip code, and ask to be connected to your Senator. When you are connected, say, “Hello, my name is ______, I live in ]city/zip code]. I am calling to urge Senator ______ to co-sponsor Senate Bill 4814 to extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitians. Time is of the essence: this community is facing imminent deportation to horrifying, deadly conditions in Haiti. Thank you for your consideration.”
• With your church or other local group, meet with your Senator (they will be on recess/in your district June 29 – July 10ish, so now is the perfect time!). IJDH has general and state-specific fact sheets, two-pagers, and more that you can use for this meeting: just contact us for materials or any questions at cecilia@ijdh.org. 

For more information on TPS, click here. Thank you for standing up for human rights, justice, and democracy.