Haiti was first designated for Temporary Protected Status in 2010 after a devastating earthquake killed more than 200,000 people, left more than 1.5 million homeless, and destroyed critical infrastructure on the Caribbean island. TPS allows people to live and work legally in the United States.
Immigration advocates in Central Florida want TPS extended, arguing Haiti remains a dangerous country plagued by violence and civil unrest. Critics say TPS was always meant to be temporary.
After lawsuits challenged the administration’s decision to end TPS for Haiti and Syria, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 last week that the law prevents courts from questioning how the Department of Homeland Security decides to revoke the protections. In a statement, the White House said the ruling giving the Trump administration full authority to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haitian migrants is a major victory for America and the President’s effort to end the border invasion.
Florida is home to more Haitian TPS holders than any other state. Engage was planning on interviewing a Haitian man living in Central Florida under Temporary Protected Status about what this moment feels like. However, he became so frightened about speaking publicly and what might happen to him that he couldn’t go through with the interview. That fear is something Anne Piervil says she is seeing frequently. She’s Haitian American, born and raised in Central Florida, and Director of the Haitian Lawyers Association. She joins Engage to discuss efforts to help her clients and the community.
Darell Butler is a licensed certified nursing assistant and Orlando based Organizer for the 1199SEIU that represents thousands of healthcare employees. He joins Engage to discuss his outreach to impacted workers in Central Florida and the ripple effects of losing staff working in hospitals and nursing homes.
A travel advisory from the Department of State warns U.S. citizens that they should not travel to Haiti due to risks of rampant crime, gang activity, kidnapping, unrest, and limited health care. Florida based journalist and author Michael Diebert has covered Haiti for the last 30 years. He joins Engage to explain what conditions are like today.
