Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Holders Face Uncertainty and Family Separation if Program Expires in 2019
Fox 4 news reports that without action from Congress, thousands of Haitian TPS holders will face potential deportation and separation from their children and families after the Trump administration terminated the program. Thousands of Haitians in the South Florida community are living in constant fear that Congress won’t provide a legislative solution before the July 2019 expiration date. Congress must act to prevent 273,000 U.S. citizen children from becoming orphans.
The article is excerpted below and available online here:
Many of the Haitians living in Southwest Florida are here under Temporary Protected Status granted after a devastating earthquake rocked the island nation 8 years ago.
“When I meet with a family that is on TPS, I often have to ask, what happens if you get picked up and deported tomorrow, what happens to your children, what is the plan for your children,” Immigration attorney Indera Demine told a crowd at the Heavenly Canaan Baptist Church Thursday night.
TPS will end in July of 2019, and unless Congress extends the deadline, thousands of Haitians will have to leave unless they are granted extended residency.
The ripple effect of deportation could be felt far beyond the church, the region could lose 2,000 medical workers who are covered under TPS.
“We’ve heard about the folks at Lee Memorial, but I represent the 25 nursing homes in Southwest Florida as president of the Health Care Association and there are thousands more who are going to be impacted,” said District 19 Congressional Candidate Todd Truax.
