|
John,
For years, Haiti has been consumed by economic, political and humanitarian crises, with no end in sight. Unfortunately, the deteriorating political and economic situation in Haiti continues to reverberate throughout the region. Since February of 2024, the humanitarian situation in Haiti has rapidly worsened. With the collapse of a functional government, escalating violence and economic deprivation, many Haitians are looking to flee to safety. Earlier this year, gangs gained control of large sections of , Port-au-Prince, and cut off access to Haiti’s main port and . Efforts to reestablish civil government and restore order are just beginning to get off the ground. Now, amid what the United Nations Human Rights Office is calling a
"cataclysmic" situation, Haitian civilians are enduring a reign of terror marked by widespread violence, food insecurity, and political instability.
At the same time, Haiti’s emergency has caused widespread concern, frustration and grief among over a million Haitians and Haitian Americans who live in the U.S., as well as Haitians still in Haiti. They urgently require more immediate solutions, which the Biden administration is uniquely positioned to provide.
The Biden administration must act swiftly and compassionately in response to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Haiti. Solutions include:
-
Extending and redesignating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti
-
A temporary halt to Haitian repatriation
-
Fully utilizing and increasing the cap for parole for Haitians
-
Streamlining the vetting process for visas to allow Haitian workers to help U.S. employers in urgent need of workers
-
Protecting Haitian children through opening and expanding the Central American Minors program to cover certain Haitian families
These actions would provide orderly, humane migration pathways. They also likely would save .
Add your name and tell the Department of Homeland Security to act
now!
Laurence Benenson
Vice President of Policy & Advocacy
National Immigration Forum
|
|
