Commissioner Holness Leads Broward Commission in Asking Trump Administration to Extend Temporary Protected Status ( TPS ) to Haitian Nationals
FORT LAUDERDALE – At the May 9, 2017, Broward County Commission meeting, Commissioner Dale V.C. Holness asked the Broward County Commission to join him in asking the Trump Administration to extend the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitian nationals who reside in the United States and benefit from this program.
The commission unanimously approved to support Commissioner Holness’ request and signed off on a letter directed to Secretary John F. Kelly, Department of Homeland Security.
In 1990, as part of the Immigration Act of 1990 Congress established a procedure by which TPS may be provided to immigrants in the United States who are temporarily unable to safely return to their home country because of ongoing armed conflict, an environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions.
With the lingering effects of the aftershocks of the 2010 earthquake, the subsequent cholera epidemic, and with last year’s massive destruction from Hurricane Matthew, Haiti remains an unsafe place to return to.
The current 18-month grant of TPS for about 50,000 is expected to expire on July 22, 2017 unless extended by Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.
By law, Secretary Kelly must decide by May 23, whether condition merit extension. “Haiti is a very important country to us. It is critical in my mind that we advocate for this,” says Commissioner Holness.
With the deadline approaching, supporters are asked to call the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at 202-282-8000, the U.S. Department of State, also referred to as the State Department at 202-647-6575 and the White House at 202-456-1111 in support of the extension of TPS for Haitian nationals.
