Obama administration grants temporary protected status to Haitian immigrants

Answering the call of human-rights advocates, the Obama administration granted temporary protected status to Haitian nationals living in the United States as of Jan. 12.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano made the announcement this afternoon:
 

This is a disaster of historic proportions and this designation will allow eligible Haitian nationals in the United States to continue living and working in our country for the next 18 months. Providing a temporary refuge for Haitian nationals who are currently in the United States and whose personal safety would be endangered by returning to Haiti is part of this Administration's continuing efforts to support Haiti's recovery.

TPS will protect Haitians from deportation for 18 months and allow them to work legally in the United States. Even before this week's disaster, remittances from Haitians living abroad accounted for more than a quarter of the gross domestic product of Haiti, the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation.

Administration officials told the New York Times that the special status would cover at least 100,000 Haitians believed to be in the United States illegally, along with about 30,000 Haitians who have been ordered deported. The U.S. government already grants TPS to people from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Sudan.

"We are thrilled that at long last deserving Haitians will be getting TPS," said Cheryl Little, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center. "We hope this will provide some comfort to Haitians here who are suffering in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake."