Catholic Partners Urge 18-month Extension of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti

WASHINGTON—On November 17,2017, Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin, Texas, Chairman of the USCCB Committeeon Migration, was joined by Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC),Catholic Relief Services (CRS), and Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) in sending aletter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Elaine Duke, urging an18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.

TPS is a temporary, renewable,and statutorily authorized immigration status that allows individuals to remainand work lawfully in the U.S. during a period in which it is deemed unsafe fornationals of that country to return home.

While the current designationfor Haiti is set to expire in January 2018, the Department of Homeland Securityis required to make a decision to terminate or extend TPS for Haiti by November23, 2017. As noted by the partners: "[I]t would be premature and detrimental tothe country's redevelopment to return TPS holders to Haiti." The letter,sharing insights from the recent USCCB/Migration and Refugee Services (MRS)delegation trip to Haiti, explained that the country is still recovering fromthe 2010 earthquake and subsequent natural disasters and is not currently in aposition to adequately handle return of its nationals who have TPS.

As discussed in the USCCB/MRStrip report, Haiti's Ongoing Road to Recovery: The Necessity of an Extension ofTemporary Protected Status, an extension of TPS for thenation is crucial for humanitarian, regional security, and economic stabilityreasons. Consequently, the Catholic partners urged Secretary Duke to extend TPSfor Haiti to "allow the country to build upon the progress it has made towardsrecovery and help ensure individuals' return and reintegration can be safelyaccomplished."

The letter also reiterated theChurch's commitment to standing "ready to support measures to help ensure TPSrecipients and their families are provided the protection and support they needwhile Haiti rebuilds."

Read the full letter here: https://justiceforimmigrants.org/news/catholic-partner-letter-dhs-urging-extension-tps-haiti/.

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Keywords:  U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB,Bishop Joe Vásquez,Committee on Migration, Migration and Refugee Services, Temporary ProtectedStatus, TPS recipients, TPS beneficiaries, Department of Homeland Security, Haiti,refugees, migration, earthquake, natural disaster, prayers, legislativesolution

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