Hastings' Statement on Haiti TPS Decision

Statement

Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) issued the following statement regarding Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke's decision to terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Haiti with a delayed effective date of 18 month, which will expire on July 22, 2019:

"Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is central to the United States' commitment in providing a safe haven to individuals unable to securely return to their home country due to ongoing violence, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. Haiti still continues to face such conditions. I applaud Acting Secretary Duke's decision, but know that we must do more to help our Haitian friends. We must help them rebuild their economy, promote the rule of law and human rights, restore clean water, proper sanitation, and reliable power grids.

"My passion and commitment to the people of Haiti remains unbreakable. I stand with the Haitian people as we work to help them in their ongoing recovery efforts. As such, it is time that Congress take action and implement a permanent fix.

"I am proud to have joined my colleagues Reps. Carlos Curbelo, Frederica Wilson, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen in introducing the Extending Status Protection for Eligible Refugees with Established Residency (ESPERER) Act of 2017. This critically important bill will provide a pathway to legal permanent residency in our country for those living here under TPS. The clock is ticking, and legislative action must be taken now."

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