Amnesty International USA Welcomes Biden Administration's Move to Protect Haitian Migrants

Amnesty International USA Advocacy Director for the Americas, Amy Fischer, and Haiti Fellow, Taisha Saintil, released the following statement in response to the Biden administration's decision to extend and redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti:

"Today, the U.S. took an important step toward respecting human rights and advancing racial justice in the immigration system. Given the deteriorating security and humanitarian crises that largely prevent migrants from making a safe return to Haiti, the Biden Administration's decision to both extend and redesignate Temporary Protected Status is the right choice. This move will protect thousands of Haitians already in the U.S. and ensure they have work authorization to live with dignity in their new communities. It will also ensure that they get critical protection from forced removal, persecution, and unimaginable violence, as highlighted in Amnesty International's recent report, "They did not treat us like people": Race and migration-related torture and other ill-treatment of Haitians seeking safety in the USA."

"The cruel attempts to deter Haitian migrants have plagued the U.S. immigration system for decades, and we are glad that today, the administration makes the right decision to stand by its human rights obligations. However, we caution that such a designation should not come at the expense of Haitians that continue to flee the crisis in their home country, and urge the U.S. to halt all deportations to Haiti and ensure that all people seeking safety have their human right to seek asylum upheld."