A few days ago we wondered if undocumented Haitian migrants would receive temporary protected status (TPS) in the aftermath of Tuesday’s massive earthquake. On Friday, the White House answered that question:Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Haitians would be granted Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, that would allow undocumented individuals living in the United States to remain for 18 months. That would allow them to renew or obtain drivers licenses, and work legally.Though having TPS would protect Haitians from being deported having such a status requires paying a $340 fee and denies them the chance to become permanent U.S. residents or citizens. TPS would not help Haitians trying to depart their devastated homeland; Napolitano warned that those “attempting to leave Haiti now will only bring more hardship to the Haitian people and nation.” (Nevertheless, immigration officials in South Florida are preparing for a “mass exodus” from Haiti).
"Providing a temporary refuge for Haitian nationals... whose personal safety would be endangered by returning to Haiti is part of this administration's continuing efforts to support Haiti's recovery," Napolitano said.
Several prominent Democratic and Republican politicos backed the TPS decision though one GOP lawmaker cold-heartedly claimed that Haitian migrants “have no reason to fear deportation but if they are deported, Haiti is in great need of relief workers.” The move also received partial support from some anti-immigration groups but the head of the Center for Immigration Studies cautioned that “all previous grants of TPS in actual fact ended up being permanent.”
Issuing TPS to Haitians has been a move long advocated by Haitian expats as well as immigration activists. According to Napolitano, an “estimated 100,000 to 200,000 Haitians ‘not legally in the United States’ as of Jan. 12” would receive TPS.
The Pan American Health Organization estimated that the death toll from Tuesday’s tremor is 50,000 to 100,000 while over a dozen aftershocks have shaken Haiti over the past five days.
(Hat tip: Global Voices Online).
Image- The Globe and Mail (“Children from an orphanage destroyed during the earthquake in Fontamara close to Port au Prince.”)
Online Sources- Globs Voices Online, The Latin Americanist, Miami Herald, AFP, csmonitor.com, cbs4.com, New York Times, Wonkette, YouTube, NPR, Xinhua
It’s called projection. They (the rethugs) are always good at projecting onto others what they themselves are thinking, doing and are guilty of.
ReplyDeleteThe rethugs need to wake up and realize that we, as humans, all have our own thoughts and deeds.
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