From the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (http://www.interfaithimmigration.org):
In September, Secretary Jeh Johnson announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would resume detaining and deporting Haitians who are searching for safe homes, work, and a place to raise a family since the catastrophic 2010 earthquake that decimated Haiti. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, the U.S. government recognized the needs of displaced Haitians and committed to granting Haitians humanitarian parole in the United States while Haiti recovered. The Administration also designated Haitians who were already in the United States in 2010 for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and re-designated Haiti for TPS since January 2011. While individuals who have TPS will continue to be protected, there is a clear need to expand TPS to Haitians who arrived in the United States between 2011 and today, and to ensure that Haitians are not detained and deported.
Although Secretary Johnson rescinded DHS’s deportation policy following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Matthew, DHS plans to resume fast-tracking the deportation of Haitians as soon as country conditions improve, however slightly. Any detention and deportation policy blatantly disregards our commitment to the Haitians we pledged to welcome, will separate families, and ignores the long journey Haiti faces to rebuild and recover. If deportations resume, it is estimated that 3,500 Haitians will be impacted this year – Haitians who previously would have been granted parole but could be suddenly detained and deported. The ongoing cholera outbreak in Haiti is the worst epidemic of cholera in the world, and political instability and lack of infrastructure persist. Since Hurricane Matthew, country conditions have significantly worsened. Haitians are at even greater risk to the cholera epidemic, 350,000 Haitians are now in need of assistance, and much of the country’s infrastructure has been destroyed. Meanwhile, it is unclear if Haitians will continue to be indefinitely detained in substandard conditions that fail to meet their basic needs, until Haiti is safe and stable.
Tell Secretary Johnson to expand protections for Haitians, including through Temporary Protected Status (TPS): 202-282-8000!
Sample Script:
“I’m from [City, State, Congregation/Community,] and as a person of faith, I urge Secretary Johnson to immediately grant humanitarian parole to Haitians entering the United States and stop the inhumane and unjust detention of Haitians already in the U.S. Enduring dangerous conditions in Haiti exacerbated by Hurricane Matthew’s devastation make it unsafe for anyone to be deported to Haiti.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) should be re-designated to include all Haitians.
Haitians already paroled into the United States should be re-paroled.
The Haitian family reunification program should be expanded to ensure family unity.
Haitians are fleeing catastrophic conditions in their home country and should be allowed to access protection in the United States.”
Join us in calling on Secretary Johnson to live up to our American values by upholding our promises to the Haitian people and ensuring Haitians can seek safety here in the United States.
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