American parliamentarians called on Monday, March 19, the Biden administration to extend the Temporary Status Program (TPS) for Haitian citizens and put an end to the expulsions of Haitian nationals, citing the serious political and security problems in the country.
The initiative was launched by Senator Edward J. Markey and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, co-chair of the House Haiti Caucus, as well as House Haiti Caucus co-chairs Yvette Clarke and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. She is supported by 19 other Senate colleagues.
In a letter to the U.S. administration, this group of senators urged the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State to immediately redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, allowing Haitian nationals to enter the United States -United to remain in the country until the situation improves in their country of origin.
Lawmakers also asked the Biden administration to suspend all deportation flights to Haiti until the situation improves, according to State House News Service.
“We urge you to extend and redesignate TPS for Haiti (…) to stop deportation flights to Haiti,” the American senators wrote in their correspondence. “These actions will prevent further suffering and unnecessary loss of life,” they added.
In a post on This means: supporting a democratic transition led by Haitian civil society, stopping arms trafficking, providing humanitarian aid, stopping deportations to Haiti, redesignating TPS.”
For her part, Dalila Catalina Ramirez, member of the United States House of Representatives from the 3rd district of Illinois, wrote on the social network X: “I am deeply concerned about the deterioration of the situation in Haiti. It is high time to abandon the Monroe Doctrine, redesignate TPS for Haiti, fund emergency humanitarian assistance for Haitians, and work side by side with Haitians to achieve peace, democracy, and stability.”
More than 33,000 people fled the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince during the month of March, due to the violence raging in the capital, according to a recent report released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) this Thursday April 21, 2024.
Indeed, according to the IOM, 33,333 individuals were forced to leave Port-au-Prince, the scene of looting and attacks perpetrated by armed groups who control more than 80% of the capital. These brutal attacks, often accompanied by acts of vandalism and burning of police stations, have made the metropolitan area uninhabitable, forcing residents to seek refuge in other regions of Haiti.
Among the displaced people who left the capital between March 8 and 20, 2024 due to widespread insecurity, 23% found refuge in the city of Les Cayes, while 17% settled in Léogâne, according to the latest report from the ‘IOM. This report also mentions that 3% of displaced people do not know where to go, due to lack of a place to stay, according to data collected by the IOM.
US foreign policy has contributed to the crisis in Haiti & we must take action to stabilize the country & save lives:
—halt deportations
—redesignate Haiti TPS
—stop arms trafficking
—send humanitarian aid
—support a Haitian-led democratic transitionThis must be a priority. pic.twitter.com/CbfpJLDutu
— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) March 20, 2024
