TPS for Haiti

Last year, the country of Haiti was devastated by 4 hurricanes and tropical storms.  Cities were left uninhabitable.  60% of the country’s food production was destroyed.  Hundreds died.  Thousands injured.  And now more continue to die as the country’s food production has not recovered and infrastructure has not be restored.  People have left the country in droves, attempting to cross dangerous waters for a chance to land on American soil — even without paperwork.  Since October the US Coast Guard has rounded up 1,500 migrants who were headed for American shores.

There has been a push by organizations and some politicians to get TPS, Temporary Protected Status, for Haiti.  TPS would allow undocumented migrants the opportunity to stay and work in the US for a period of time without the threat of deportation.  The US has granted TPS in the past to other countries that have been devastated by natural disasters.  For some reason, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff rejected the plea for TPS for Haiti.  Because of this, there are currently 32,000 Haitians in the US awaiting deportation.

But when deported, what do these people have to go back to?  Jobs are scarce.  Food is scarce.  Death awaits.  Haiti is also one of the poorest countries in the world and has seen political unrest (including a coup in 2004) since its independence.  It is such a devastating situation that men, women, and children continue to risk their lives by boarding shifty, overcrowded boats to come to the US to find work and hope.   Recently a sailboat carrying 200 Haitian migrants capsized near the Turks and Caicos Islands.  120 have been found, 15 are dead, and 65 are missing.  It’s not that they want to leave their country.  It’s simply a matter of survival.  It’s worth the risk of death on the open sea.  It’s worth the risk of one day being deported from the US.  The situation in Haiti is just that bad.