Action Alert!

Temporary Protected Status for Haitians Now!

[Recent Deportation Orders sent to over 30,000
Undocumented Haitians — Underscores Discriminatory U.S. Policy towards Haiti]

February 2009

SUMMARY:

Haiti is experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Last year, during a one month period, four hurricanes devastated the country. According to conservative estimates, over 800 people were killed and the total damage was equivalent to 15 percent of Haiti’s gross domestic product (GDP). Countless others were reported missing and injured. Recently, Sun-Sentinel newspaper in South Florida reported that immigration judges have issued deportation orders to over 30,000 undocumented Haitians. The U.S. government would be returning the Haitians to a country still struggling to rebuild and not able to provide the critical social safety nets needed for people to survive. Urgent action is needed to halt the arrests of these deportees. Call the Department of Homeland Security Comment Line today at 202-282-8495 [if unable to get through, call the White House Comment line at 202-456-1111 (Fax: 202-456-2461)] and urge them to immediately halt deportations, grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians in the United States and conduct a full review of its policy towards Haiti.

BACKGROUND:

Temporary protected status (TPS) is granted by the United States (Homeland Security Department) to eligible nationals of countries that cannot safely return to their homelands because of armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions. Haiti clearly fits this description. Yet, unlike countries such as El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Sudan, and Sierra Leone, Haitians are treated differently and are not recipients of TPS. For instance, many Hondurans and Nicaraguans are still getting TPS from a natural disaster (Hurricane Mitch) that occurred in 1998 and Salvadorians are still benefitting from TPS received following earthquakes in El Salvador in 2001.

The Haitian government has repeatedly sustained that it cannot accept deportees until the country is in a better condition and is declining to issue travel documents. Haitian authorities are reportedly in talks with the Department of Homeland Security to resolve the issue and to advocate for TPS.

ICE officials, however, continue to adopt an aggressive position and maintain they are only enforcing the law and not treating Haitians more harshly than nationals of other countries. Of the deportees, approximately 600 are in ICE custody. The thousands remaining will be expected to leave voluntarily and branded as “fugitives” otherwise. The government already has "fugitive alien teams" across the country ready to capture people.

ICE argues that the Haitian government is forcing people to suffer for longer periods of time in crowded detention centers because they are resisting the deportations. Instead of acknowledging their policy is humane, they are playing the blame game and are indifferent to the consequences this will have on Haiti’s already fragile economy. Meanwhile, in a country where most of the population is already living below the extreme poverty line and the risk of a child dying before the age of five is 86%, the ability for Haitians in the United States to work, pay taxes, and send remittances to relatives back home means the difference between life and death—particularly in this troubled world economy.

At a time where fair immigration reform is badly needed, the current situation reveals that Haitians are experiencing more of the same unjust policies of the past. Several members of Congress have criticized the Department of Homeland Security's decision to arbitrarily resume deportations in December 2008 (after temporarily halting deportations for three months last year after the hurricanes). At this critical time, Haitians deserve the same protection granted to other nationals in similar situations.

ACT TODAY!

Call the Department of Homeland Security Comment Line today at 202-282-8495 [if unable to get through, call the White House Comment line at 202-456-1111 (Fax: 202-456-2461)] and urge them to:

TransAfrica Forum is the leading U.S. advocacy organization for Africa and the African Diaspora in U.S. foreign policy. TransAfrica Forum helped lead the world protest against apartheid in South Africa and today works for human and economic justice for African people on the continent of Africa, in Latin America and in the Caribbean. Contact us:  TransAfrica Forum, 1629 K Street, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, D.C., 2006, 202-223-1960, www.transafricaforum.org.

TAKE ACTION!

Contact Homeland Security today!