WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s announcement that it will end immigration protection in July 2019 for 59,000 Haitians living in the United States:
“We strongly condemn the Trump Administration’s latest attempt to upend the lives of immigrant families by abruptly ending the Temporary Protected Status of more than 59,000 Haitians. This move threatens to devastate a country still in the midst of a long-term recovery process, and builds on the Trump administration’s message to the international community that the United States is officially drawing an end to an era in which it was the world’s leader in resettling refugees; and is no longer willing to open its doors to the world’s most vulnerable citizens. This administration has established a clear record of hostility toward immigrant communities and has provided no basis for the abrupt change in immigration policy. We urge Congress to step in and provide support for displaced Haitians in the face of an administration unwilling to meet our country’s historical humanitarian commitments on immigration. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil rights Under Law will continue to hold this administration accountable for unconscionable policies that impact the lives of communities of color.”
The Obama administration initially granted temporary protected status following the historical 7.0 magnitude earthquake that ravaged the country in 2010, causing more than 200,000 deaths and displacing hundreds of thousands of Hattians. These protections allowed Hattians to legally remain in the United States.
About the Lawyers’ Committee:
The Lawyers’ Committee, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 54th year, the Lawyers’ Committee is continuing its quest “Move America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.
