“Today is a reminder of why elections matter”
The Biden administration today announced it would redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti. As Hamed Aleaziz of BuzzFeed first reported, the news means that some 150,000 Haitians living in the United States will be shielded from deportation and eligible for work permits. He writes:
The decision, which immigrant advocates have been pushing for several months, comes as Haiti suffers from a growing political crisis, after the opposition party’s calls for the president to step down failed. Reports of increased gang violence and kidnappings have roiled parts of the country, which is already struggling to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The following is a statement from Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice:
We applaud the Biden administration for today’s life-changing announcement to redesignate TPS for Haiti. As a result, families will be kept together, lives will be saved, and America will be strengthened.
We salute the Black immigrant activists who led this fight. This victory belongs to you and your courageous efforts to achieve this breakthrough.
We thank the President and the Biden administration for following through on this promise. TPS for Haitians is the right thing to do. It’s one of the reasons a multiracial, multiethnic and multigenerational coalition rejected the racism and xenophobia of Trump and elected the pro-immigrant Biden-Harris ticket.
Today is a reminder of why elections matter.
The Biden administration is regaining its footing on immigration. They are once again taking significant steps forward. It is essential to accelerate this momentum if we are to undo Trump’s cruelty, build a fair, humane and functional immigration system, and legalize millions.
