Press Release
Published on November 21, 2017
New York City—Human Rights First today condemned the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for Haitians, which will impact approximately 50,000 Haitian nationals. The TPS status will terminate in June 2019.
“Many Haitians will face severe human rights violations if returned to Haiti given the current country conditions,” said Human Rights First’s Olga Byrne. “The administration and Congress must find a humanitarian solution so that the United States does not abandon Haitians who have been in the United States for seven years and have become a part of our communities.”
Haitians were given temporary protective status following the 2010 earthquake, which left the country devastated. An ensuing political crisis, cholera epidemic, and more recently, Hurricane Matthew last year, have left the country unable to adequately welcome and integrate returning nationals. Human Rights First notes that returning Haitians will only increase instability, which is counterproductive to U.S. interests.
Human Rights First calls on the administration to continue TPS for other groups of vulnerable immigrants, including from El Salvador and Honduras, where rampant gang violence has created a regional refugee crisis. The organization notes that the crisis needs to be addressed through a comprehensive plan to improve conditions so that children, families, and other individuals can safely remain in their countries of origin.
