U.S. senators on Monday called on the Biden administration to extend the Temporary Status Program (TPS) for Haiti and halt deportations of Haitian nationals, at a time when their country is in the grip of a serious political and security crisis.
The move was initiated by Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), co-chair of the House Haiti Caucus, as well as House Haiti Caucus co-chairs Yvette Clarke (NY-09) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20). She is supported by 19 of their Senate colleagues.
In a letter to the U.S. executive branch, the group of senators urges the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department to immediately re-designate Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which would allow Haitian nationals in the U.S. to remain in the country until conditions improve in Haiti.
Lawmakers are also calling on the Biden administration to suspend all deportation flights to Haiti until conditions improve, according to State House News Service.
Haiti is facing a profound political, humanitarian and security crisis, aggravated by the assassination of Jovenel Moïse and the expansion of armed gangs that control a large part of Haitian territory, including the capital Port-au-Prince.
The announcement a few days ago of the resignation of the de facto Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, stranded outside the country, has exacerbated the situation at a time when the international community, through the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), is trying to help the Haitian players find a solution to the crisis.
“These two measures are necessary to ensure that the United States does not send Haitian nationals back to a government incapable of protecting its citizens, often exposing them to repression and violence, as well as to gangs who commit all kinds of exactions against the population. In light of the rapidly worsening gang violence in Haiti, the uncertain political future following the announcement of Prime Minister Henry’s resignation, and the lack of accountability for human rights violations and abuses by the current government, we urge you to extend and re-designate TPS for Haiti and to exercise discretion by halting deportation flights to Haiti,” the U.S. senators write in their correspondence. “These actions will prevent further needless suffering and loss of life,” they argue.
Senate co-signers include Senators Cory Booker (DN.J.), Laphonza Butler (California Democrat), Ben Cardin (Maryland Democrat), Tammy Duckworth (Illinois Democrat), Dick Durbin (Illinois Democrat), Kirsten Gillibrand (DN.Y. ), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii Democrat), Tim Kaine (Vermont Democrat), Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota Democrat), Jeff Merkley (Oregon Democrat), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt. ), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass. Democrat), Peter Welch (Vermont Democrat) and Sheldon Whitehouse (DR.I.).
In December 2023, Senator Markey and Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock (Democrat, Georgia) sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling on his administration to address the growing state of insecurity and humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
In October 2022, Senator Markey penned a letter urging the Biden administration to extend and re-designate TPS for Haitians living in the United States, a request that was granted in December 2022. In August 2016, Senator Markey successfully led Senate efforts to pressure the United Nations to accept full responsibility for the cholera epidemic in Haiti and provide financial assistance to victims and their families, following his trip to Haiti to provide aid and assess the humanitarian response.