TPS for Haiti - up for review
Dear Senator Warnock, thank you for your thorough reply. I appreciate the efforts being taken to assist the country of Haiti as well as those who have been able to make it to safety here in the United States. I have a specific question regarding the Temporary Protection Status for Haiti. It is my understanding, per the Federal Register, that in February of this year Secretary Noem issued a partial vacatur of TPS for Haiti rather than terminating it. This moved the end date of the status forward six months, to August 3, 2025. Also per the Federal Register: The Secretary, consistent with the statute, intends to review the Haiti TPS designation by June 4, 2025. If she fails to do so, the statute triggers an automatic six-month extension of the current TPS designation. To my knowledge, the Secretary did not review the Haiti TPS designation prior to June 4, 2025. There is no evidence of any such review on the Federal Register nor on the USCIS website. I would appreciate it if your staff could investigate this to determine if the automatic six-month extension is now in effect. And if so, will there be an announcement of this in the Federal Register? I am particularly concerned with this issue because I have an adult son from Haiti who is currently protected by TPS. He came here in 2013 on a student visa, and I adopted him in 2016. However, in spite of having a Georgia birth certificate, the fact that he was over 16 at the time of the adoption precludes him from the possibility of becoming a citizen by that path. He finished college in 2022, and in that same year was able to apply for TPS and be approved. But at this point, we see no path to permanent residency for him except possibly marriage in the future. It is so important for our country to offer people who have been here many years, contributing to our workforce and our communities, with no criminal record, a path to citizenship. Thank you for your assistance and I look forward to hearing whatever information you can provide regarding the current status of the TPS designation for Haiti.
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Dear Ms. Barrett, Thank you for contacting me to discuss the ongoing political and humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
I also believe that we must ensure that U.S. policy does not exacerbate the crisis in Haiti. That is why on September 26, 2024, I joined a bicameral group of my colleagues in sending a letter to the Biden Administration recommending steps to combat firearms trafficking from the United States into Haiti. Specifically, it urges the Administration to increase resources for cargo inspection, localize export control personnel in the Caribbean, develop a strategy to trace more firearms recovered in Haiti, expand its efforts to identify potential traffickers and intermediaries in the United States, and coordinate an interagency approach to stop firearms trafficking into Haiti.
We must ensure Haitians fleeing environmental and economic disasters are treated with empathy and humanity. As a man of faith and champion for human rights, I also believe we should keep families together, and institute a reliable system to process legitimate requests from asylum seekers and refugees. As refugees and migrants come into United States custody, I support vetting each individual and processing their requests in the confines of U.S. immigration law in a timely manner. On March 18, 2025, I joined 87 of my colleagues in sending a bicameral letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the Trump Administration redesignate and extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, which the administration recently canceled. Last Congress, I joined my colleagues in sending a letter to the President requesting that his Administration take a revamped approach to achieving a political solution to Haiti's crisis that involves transitioning away from Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Last year, I had also successfully urged the Biden Administration to extend and redesignate TPS for Haiti.
Sincerely,
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Dear Secretary Noem,
I am writing regarding the upcoming review of Temporary Protected Status for immigrants from Haiti. I know that the most recent designation of TPS for Haitians is ending in August of 2025, and I am writing to ask you to extend that designation.
I am an American citizen and visited Haiti often from 2012 to 2018. The people I met were warm and loving; they love Jesus and persevere through hardship. However, the assassination of President Moise and the overtake of the country by gangs have made life in Haiti perilous.
I know many Haitians that now live here in the United States. They are my friends and family. The people from Haiti that are here in the United States seek to escape the violence that makes the streets of Haiti perilous, and prevents people from working or going to school. They are here to escape a scarcity of jobs, food, medical care. Here in the United States, they have assimilated into our culture, contributed to the workforce, paid taxes, and participated in their communities. They are not criminals. They came here to seek a better life for themselves and their children, while also supporting their families back in Haiti.
A young woman still in Haiti was recently forced to flee her home with her son to escape being shot by gangs. The boy has a serious medical condition; the mother was forced to leave so quickly that she was not able to gather any of their personal belongings, not even the boy's medications. This story is not news in Haiti. It is day-to-day life, filled with fear, hunger, and no hope for the future.
Ending TPS would be a death sentence for many. If returned, those who have family here in the US would be targeted as kidnap victims. And Haiti is in no position to receive that many people back, with no housing, jobs, or food.
I plead with you to extend the current TPS designation for Haiti.
Kathleen Barrett - Georgia
Dear Ms. Barrett,
Thank you for contacting me to share your concerns regarding the budget reconciliation process.
First, let me say that, as your Senator, the health, safety, and well-being of Georgians in my top priority. Like you, I am concerned that current budget proposals to weaken our nation's family safety net will hurt families in Georgia and our most vulnerable communities. The federal budget is more than a fiscal document, it is a moral one. It demonstrates what matters to us as a country and how we will prioritize those things. That is why I support a budget that does not cut programs that hard working Georgians rely on.
As you may know, the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 gave Congress the ability to carry out the budget reconciliation process to quickly advance certain high-priority tax, spending, and debt legislation. On April 5, 2025, I voted against the most recent version of the Senate budget resolution because I believe that Congress should not provide tax giveaways that benefit the wealthiest among us while leaving working families behind. For far too long, the super-wealthy have consistently paid less in taxes in terms of real income than middle-class Americans.
It is also important to me that every person, no matter their race, gender, creed, or socioeconomic status, has access to quality and affordable health care. In addition, as a father of two small children, I am committed to making meaningful and significant federal investments in child care, and I understand that access to healthy and affordable food is critical for every family. That is why I support the expanded Child Tax Credit and strongly oppose efforts to cut Medicaid and SNAP. Congress must work to ensure we are putting money back into the pockets of Georgia's families, not taking money out.
You may be glad to know that on April 5, 2025, I offered a bipartisan amendment to the budget resolution to prevent any cuts to Medicaid that would hurt benefits or services. The amendment ultimately failed 48 to 51. If you are interested, you may read more about it here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-reverend-warnock-fights-to-amend-gop-tax-bill-to-prevent-cuts-to-medicaid-benefits-moral-effort-voted-down-by-senate-gop/.