You might have heard news outlets talking about the Temporary Protected Status and the uproar it brought from thousands of people from Honduras, Nicaragua, Salvador, and even Haiti. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is granted by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Secretary) to eligible foreign-born individuals, who are unable to return home safely due to conditions or circumstances preventing their country from adequately handling the return. The circumstances could range from civil war, an environmental disaster like earthquakes or hurricanes, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions. According to USA Today, “Trump administration announced that protection for nearly 200,000 immigrants from El Salvador will end in 2019.” Many of them have lived in the United State under the program since 2001. Just like everyone else, they have paid taxes and had 192,000 children who are U.S. citizens. Unfortunately, they have until 2019 to figure out whether they will return to El Salvador or risk deportation if they stay without legal protections.
Since Trump took office, efforts have begun to end TPS. Those in favor of this action note that “the program was meant to be “temporary” when created by Congress in 1990 to allow foreigners to remain in the U.S. only a short time.” Yet, as stated by National Immigration Forum, recent data estimated that TPS holders from El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti contribute a combined $4.5 billion in pre-tax wages or salary income annually to our nation’s gross domestic product. Nonetheless, the Department of Homeland Security disregarded the data and has announced that its ending TPS for El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Sudan. “Almost 60,000 Haitians face removal from the United States because the Trump administration has determined a temporary residency program prompted by the devastating 2010 earthquake is no longer needed. Haitians living in the U.S. under “temporary protected status” have until July 2019 to gain a different, legal immigration status or leave,” Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke said (USA Today).
In a meeting with lawmakers on Thursday, Trump had apparently used vulgar commentary when referring to countries like Haiti or Africa when discussing negotiations on DACA: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a program designed to block the deportation of young people brought to the United States illegally by their parents.
“Haitians took it to heart, or many of my friends and family did because of what we had to overcome. We helped fight with the Americans and always show pride for being in America. Haiti is still rebuilding itself up from the earthquake, but we are stronger than ever. I know in my heart that not one Haitian no matter how bad we’ve been insulted will ever stoop low like Trump has gone. We were born better than that,” shared Ashley Theodule, Haitian and Senior at Montclair State University.
For Ashley, she believes that by having people voice their opinion and show how strong they are when everyone comes together, can make a vast difference in the future.