MIAMI – Miami Mayor Manny Diaz sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano yesterday March 31, 2009, urging Temporary Protected status for Haitians in the wake of the multiple hurricanes that devastated the island during the Fall of 2008
Mayor Diaz has been a long standing advocate and supporter of equitable treatment for the Haitian community. In 2003 and 2004 he cosponsored policy resolutions at the U.S. Conference of Mayors calling for equal treatment and due process for Haitian immigrants. More recently, Operation: Hope for Haiti was launched in September of 2008 to support the Haitian people following the devastation of several hurricanes in the country last year. Over $70,000 was raised and through a World Vision grant from USAID’s Food for Peace program. Each of those dollars was leveraged to more than $200,000. This donation drive is still in effect and gifts can be online at www.worldvision.org.
