For Immediate Release
June 28, 2024
Contact: Danyeli Rodriguez Del Orbe, Danyeli@undocublack.org
Taisha Saintil, taisha@undocublack.org
Washington D.C. – The UndocuBlack celebrates the extension and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti. While the U.S.-backed intervention remains on the horizon, the future of Haiti remains uncertain. This victory is a testament to the power of collective advocacy led by directly impacted people, Haitian organizations, and allies. The dire situation in Haiti is exacerbated by recent natural disasters, including a tornado in Bassin-Bleu. The UndocuBlack Network still urges the administration to do more to protect Black immigrants, which includes releasing those in detention centers on humanitarian parole and stopping all deportation flights by land or sea. The Administration deported vulnerable Haitians as recently as May 16, 2024.
B.F. (a pseudonym), an UndocuBlack member and a directly impacted individual, said, “This extension and redesignation has alleviated my constant fear of deportation and the means to work and support my family. I have been living with traumatic stress, witnessing what is happening to my family and friends in Haiti. My family’s home was taken over by gangs, leaving all my loved ones homeless. They can barely eat as they wander the streets, hoping that they are not killed and eaten by dogs and pigs, as they have witnessed happen to the bodies of other Haitians. Today is not just a victory for us here in the U.S. It is a victory for our family and friends in Haiti that depends on us. It is also a victory for everyone living in fear of deportation. It shows that with advocacy, we can, and we will win. Thank you to everyone who worked to make this possible for me.”
F.P. (a pseudonym), an UndocuBlack member and a directly impacted individual, said, “Today is an amazing day for me. I left Haiti because I was being persecuted. I took the path by foot to come and seek asylum. On that path, I crossed dead bodies, repeatedly raped, and was held at gunpoint several times. It is by the grace of God that I am still alive and in the United States. But every day, I cry. I cry not only because of the state of Haiti, but also for the fate of my friends and family that I left behind. I feel a sense of relief and gratitude knowing that the United States has extended and redesignated TPS for Haiti. Knowing this alleviates some of the anxiety and uncertainty I feel about my future.”
Taisha Saintil, Senior Policy Analyst at UndocuBlack Network, said, “Today, we celebrate with our Haitian siblings and we look forward to supporting the Administration in putting in place a robust, culturally competent community outreach plan. As elated as we are by this announcement, we also acknowledge that this decision came after much advocacy and the delayed announcement inspired fear in the hearts and minds of Haitians all across the country. Thank you to all organizations and allies that we worked alongside to make this possible, which includes but not limited to Haitian Bridge Alliance, Florida Immigrant Coalition, Family Action Network Movement, Amnesty International USA, Human Rights First, and the Interfaith Immigration Coalition. The current conditions in Haiti make it a textbook case for a TPS extension & redesignation, and there should have never been a question that this was the right thing to do. This announcement has also made it exceedingly clear that the Administration is well aware that Haitian nationals cannot return to Haiti at this time. Consequently, all deportation flights should immediately be stopped. We also will continue to stand in solidarity with our siblings from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mali, Ecuador, Sudan, Nicaragua, and others who equally deserve this life-saving protection.
Patrice Lawrence, Executive Director at UndocuBlack Network, said, “We rejoice as the Haitian community breathes a sigh of relief. However, on a broader scale, it is not lost on us that the Biden administration is repeating the same anti-Black, dangerous policies that his predecessors once exercised. First, asylum seekers were told that they had to make an appointment to seek safety, which many times have been months away, leaving many Black asylum seekers more susceptible to racism and discrimination in Mexico. Then, the administration introduced plans to categorically bar asylum seekers who traveled through other countries before reaching the U.S., which, again, disproportionately impacts Black immigrants who most often have no choice but to take the dangerous path by foot. To make matters worse, the Justice Department, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will further criminalize and mass incarcerate Black and Brown asylum seekers. This is unacceptable. This announcement today, as welcomed as it is, serves as a reminder that much work needs to be done. Now, after experiencing these traumatic journeys, the administration is limiting how many people can seek safety by setting it to a daily arbitrary number. Black immigrants deserve better.”
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