Earlier today we urged you to Stand with Haiti by donating to the post-earthquake relief effort and calling for a crucial protection, called Temporary Protected Status (TPS), for Haitian men and women living in the U.S.
Well, here’s to a long-overdue victory!
President Obama deserves praise for granting TPS, as do the bipartisan group of members of Congress and many, diverse advocacy organizations and bloggers who publicly urged him to do so.
The Miami Herald reports, in “Obama administration grants TPS to Haitians:”
The Obama administration announced Friday that it would grant tens of thousands Haitian nationals Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, an immigration benefit sought for years by Haitian activists, immigrant advocates and South Florida lawmakers.
The move comes following intense pressure on the administration this week to approve Haiti for TPS in the aftermath of the country’s devastating earthquake.
TPS is granted to selected immigrants who cannot safely return to their homelands because of natural disasters, armed conflicts or other emergencies. Those eligible are allowed to remain here, obtain work permits and temporary stays for specific periods — a status often renewed indefinitely.