A broad coalition of business leaders, elected officials, and community advocates has united to demand that the federal government reinstate Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, while the Hotel Association of New York City has pledged to protect the Haitian workers now losing their legal status. The unified stand brings together New York’s hospitality industry, Haitian chambers of commerce, city and state officials, and academic leaders behind one message: reverse TPS termination.
The Hotel Association of New York City, which represents nearly 300 hotels and approximately 50,000 employees, is anchoring the effort. The association is calling for an immediate reversal of the revocation and, crucially, vowing to stand behind its Haitian employees by connecting them to resources, pledging foundation support, and helping them navigate work eligibility and access to benefits during the uncertainty ahead.
An estimated 1,200 Haitian New Yorkers work in the city’s hotel industry and are now directly or indirectly affected by the loss of TPS, according to reporting from The Indian Eye.
In a sector where immigrants make up roughly 85 percent of the workforce, the association has framed the termination as a threat not only to workers and their families but to the businesses and communities that depend on them.
“Haitian New Yorkers are a vital part of our hotel and hospitality workforce, and their contributions strengthen our businesses and our city every day,” said Vijay Dandapani, President and CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City. “HANYC will continue to stand with Haitian hotel workers and the communities they call home, and we urge the federal government to reverse the termination of TPS.”
Dandapani, who has described himself as an immigrant, made his remarks at a Leadership Breakfast on labor and immigration hosted by The Haitian Times at Brooklyn College, where he spoke about how shifting federal immigration policies are affecting New York’s hospitality sector and its Haitian and immigrant workers, The Indian Eye reports.
The coalition standing together extends well beyond the hotel industry.
As reported by The Indian Eye, the Hotel Association has joined Haitian community leaders and advocates—including the Haitian Chamber of Commerce, City Council Members Farah Louis and Rita Joseph, Assemblyman Vanel, Mayor Mamdani, Attorney General James, the Brooklyn Borough President, and the Public Advocate—in calling on the federal government to reinstate TPS for Haitians.
That unity across business, government, and community sectors reflects a shared conviction that the loss of TPS is not simply an immigration matter, but an economic and community stability issue affecting the entire city.
Ron Cetoute, President of the Federation of Haitian Chambers of Commerce, tied the demand to the broader economy. “Haitian immigrants are workers, entrepreneurs, consumers, and taxpayers who contribute every day to New York’s economy,” Cetoute said in remarks reported by The Indian Eye. “Removing thousands of people from the workforce would destabilize families, disrupt businesses, and weaken local economies.” He commended the hotel association for recognizing what employers across industries already understand about Haitian workers’ role.
For business owners who have built their operations alongside Haitian employees, the pledge to protect workers is personal. Fred Raphael, who operates Rebèl Restaurant & Bar on the Lower East Side and First Republic Lounge & Restaurant in Elizabeth, New Jersey, said Haitian workers “are cooks, servers, managers, professionals, neighbors, and parents who have worked hard, raised families, contributed to their communities, and invested years of their lives in this country.”
Raphael said the industry has an obligation to defend the people who helped build it. “Our industry should stand with them and advocate for their ability to continue building their lives here,” he said.
Marie Lily Cerat, Director of the CUNY Haitian Studies Institute at Brooklyn College, echoed the theme of collective responsibility. “Forcing these families into uncertainty would have consequences that extend far beyond the individuals who hold TPS,” Cerat said. “We welcome the Hotel Association of New York City’s willingness to stand with its Haitian employees and to recognize that protecting immigrant workers also means protecting the economic and social fabric of New York.”
The hotel association’s vow to protect workers translates into concrete commitments. Beyond public advocacy for TPS reinstatement, HANYC is extending direct support to affected Haitian TPS holders—connecting them to resources, pledging foundation support, and helping them understand their work eligibility and access to benefits.
That backing may prove significant in the months ahead. As Haitian workers face the loss of their legal status and the coalition presses the federal government to reverse course, the combined weight of employers, elected officials, and community advocates standing together represents one of the strongest organized responses yet to the TPS termination.
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This article was originally written in English. Other language versions are produced using AI translation software, and errors are possible — the English version is authoritative. CTN also uses AI to convert text into audio.
