The Biden administration announced on Friday that it will protect more than 300,000 Haitians from deportation and allow them to work in the United States. This move comes as the administration aims to shield immigrants from returning to countries facing dire conditions.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Haitians who arrived after November 2022 and before early June will be eligible for temporary protected status. This decision is part of a series of recent immigration actions by President Biden, including efforts to help undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens gain U.S. citizenship more easily and block asylum claims at the southern border.
The decision to protect Haitians comes as violence and upheaval continue to ravage Haiti, with gangs taking control of much of the country. The assassination of the country’s president, Jovenel Moïse, in 2021 further exacerbated the situation.
Despite the government’s efforts to protect Haitians from deportation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have continued to deport people to the country in recent months. This has raised concerns about the safety and well-being of those being deported to a country facing significant challenges.
Democratic lawmakers have called on the Biden administration to extend protections for Haitians and pause deportations to the country. They argue that the current situation in Haiti, marked by violence and insecurity, warrants a redesignation of temporary protected status and a halt to deportation flights.
The move to protect Haitians from deportation has been welcomed by advocacy groups, with the executive director of Haitian Bridge Alliance, Guerline Jozef, stating that it will provide lifesaving protection for hundreds of thousands of Haitians and their families.
As the Biden administration continues to navigate immigration policy, the protection of Haitians from deportation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by immigrants seeking safety and stability in the United States.
