Statement from a Haitian TPS recipient, Farah Larrieux
MIAMI – In any fight, it’s either you lose or you win. The Department of Homeland Security press release about the TPS 6-month extension is for me a Haitian a big disappointment.
To those, particularly some Haitian officials and Haitian media personalities, who think this is good news, I would suggest you to get informed about the TPS statute.
According to the statute and as it is mentioned on the DHS press release, once they give an extension of 6 months, it means the end of the program. What is going to happen to these people who build their life here, even before the earthquake? Those who have children who were born and raised in the U.S.? Those who are supporting their family members in Haiti?
Some who have lost their sense of humanity might think this is not their concern; Some might be too selfish to understand the importance of the issue and how it will affect the social and economic status in Haiti; Some might be so evil to even laugh about other’s struggles. To these people, I say….shame on you.
The decision of Secretary John Kelly saddens me. But what it is most indignant to me is the fact this decision was taken on the recommendation of the Haitian government which painted a different picture of the sad and alarming reality the people live daily in Haiti.
If for the Haitian government, progress has been made since the 2010 earthquake, what about employees of public administration, particularly public schools teachers who have not received their earnings for months? What about the economy which is in an unceasing free fall? The national currency “Gourdes” has no more value… 1US Dollar=62.5 gourdes. A country where citizens are paid in gourdes, and they buy even groceries in US dollars?
What about hundreds of thousands who lost everything after Hurricane Matthew devastated the southwestern of Haiti in October 2016; Still now the government has not came up with a development plan for this region.
What about hundreds of thousands of Dominicans of Haitian descent and Haitian migrants who have been deported from Dominican Republic and abandoned at Haiti-DR border with no shelter, food, social assistance, heath care, job and worst, no future for the kids?
- See Miami New Times article on Dominicans of Haitian Descent Deported and Forgotten
What about thousands of Haitian migrants who risked their life, walked miles throughout South America to reach the border of US-Mexico where their life is in limbo.
Watch PBS report and read AZCentral stories on the suffer of my people.
THESE ARE FACTS….
My heart is torn apart to see the suffering of my people. Is there a conspiracy to destroy the Haitian people?
This is beyond the fight for extension of TPS for 50,000 Haitians. It is about the dignity, the human rights and the life of a nation. We, Haitians, have the rights for equality, justice, a decent life, better education; The rights to opportunities to pursue our dreams, to development our skills, to succeed and to create a competitive market, to integrate the global economy and to earn the respect of other nations. We are human being.
To my fellow TPS recipients, I say, the fight is not over. Be strong, be smart. We will continue to strategize, to work with our partners and allies and to fight for immigrant rights. We are immigrants but we are no less human. God is with us!
