The Senate should act now to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians by passing S.4814. TPS was established in 1990 to allow people from designated countries to remain and work in the US temporarily when conditions in their home country prevent safe return.  TPS has provided a lifeline to people from many countries. Under the statute, TPS cannot be terminated unless there has been a finding that the country no longer meets the conditions for the designation.

The Supreme Court’s decision in Mullin v. Doe, however, allowed mass termination of TPS designations for multiple countries — including Afghanistan, Burma, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Venezuela, and Yemen — whose nationals are now at risk of removal with insecure futures. The future of El Salvador's designation remains uncertain at best.

TPS was also terminated for nearly 350,000 Haitian nationals, effective July 27. Yet conditions in Haiti remain dire. As Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski highlighted, an armed gang killed more than 47 people and kidnapped over 50 others on August 23, further evidence that Haiti remains extremely unsafe and no one should be forced to return there. The termination also has significant domestic impact. Many Americans relied on TPS holders, who have now lost work authorization, for essential health and elder care services.

The Senate should address this crisis by passing S.4814.  Already passed by the House, this measure would direct the Department of Homeland Security to restore TPS for Haitian nationals until 2029. The President should also use his discretion to grant Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) to Haitians in the interim, which would generally allow them to remain and continue working legally here while return to Haiti remains unsafe.

Please contact your Senators and urge them to: 1) back S.4814 to restore TPS for Haitians, and 2) call on the President to grant DED to Haitian nationals until legislation is passed.

Take action today: Urge your Senator to support S.4814 and protect Haitians who cannot safely return to their country.