November 21, 2017

Congresswoman Lee: Ending TPS for Haitians is Morally Reprehensible

Washington, D.C. –  Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for over 50,000 Haitian nationals in the United States:

“The Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protective Status for Haiti is morally reprehensible. This callous decision will put tens of thousands into harm’s way and could derail Haiti’s fragile recovery efforts.

“Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake in 2010 and Hurricane Matthew just last year. As a longtime advocate for Haiti, I have travelled to the country multiple times, including to witness the devastation in the wake of the earthquake. While the Haitian people and their government have made significant progress in recent years with natural disaster recovery, Haiti is simply not able to support tens of thousands more citizens.

“As a former member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, I have fought for years to help Haiti and our Caribbean neighbors in their efforts to recover and rebuild as climate-resilient nations. Congress must act by immediately by passing bipartisan comprehensive TPS legislation that would provide meaningful relief to Haiti and other countries in similar situations.”

###