SEIU’s Verrett: Redesignating Haiti for TPS was the right thing to do

“Today we applaud the Biden administration’s important step of redesignating Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). We have been urging this action for some time due to the unstable conditions in Haiti and are greatly relieved that the administration’s action will enable Haitian nationals currently in the U.S. to continue to live and work here legally without fear of deportation.   

Immigrants build our nation–they are our neighbors, coworkers, family members, and friends, and they contribute tremendously to our economy. The administration not only spared countless families from trauma, but also avoided the shock to communities who depend on Haitian immigrants working in essential jobs. 

We urge the administration to take similar action to designate or redesignate TPS for other countries that qualify as soon as possible. Immigrants from countries with TPS typically send a portion of their earnings home to support their families. Studies have shown that these remittances help alleviate economically driven migration at our borders while also allowing immigrants who are already here to contribute as workers and taxpayers in the U.S. Expanding TPS is not only the right thing to do, it’s also just smart policy that benefits all of us.”