In a major blow to Haitian immigration advocates, the Bush administration has denied Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians in the United States.
Haitian President René Préval and immigration advocates in the United States had appealed to Washington to permit tens of thousands of undocumented Haitians living in the United States to remain in the country.
They argued that TPS should have been granted to such persons until Haiti recovers from a series of devastating hurricanes and storms that struck the French-speaking country last year.
The United States had delayed deporting Haitians for three months following the four successive storms in August and September, but resumed deportation in December.
Michael Keegan, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, said 28 Haitians have been deported since then.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff issued the U.S.’ position on TPS in a letter to Préval.
''After very careful consideration, I have concluded that Haiti does not currently warrant a TPS,'' he said, basing his decision primarily on information from, among other agencies, the U.S. Department of State.
Chertoff said Washington had adopted ''various actions to help mitigate the effects of the storms,'' including the delivery of humanitarian relief supplies by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The United Nations estimated that about 800 people were killed, tens of thousands rendered homeless and over U.S. $1 billion in damage were caused by the storms in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nation.
Keegan said the Bush administration had, in the interim, been “consulting with the Haitian Government to see how much they can take back, within their capabilities, at this time.''
Haitian immigration advocates, mainly in south Florida, have expressed outrage over the Bush administration’s decision.
''It's incomprehensible to me that the conditions don't warrant TPS for Haiti,'' said Randy McGrorty, executive director of the Miami-based Catholic Legal Services.
“They are not basing it on the reality of the situation on the ground but other considerations when applying the law to Haiti,” he added, charging that Washington’s decision is based mainly on blatant racism.
“But, frankly, after eight years of dealing with this administration and their policy toward Haiti, one of those considerations is racism,'' McGrorty continued.
Haitian advocates said they will take the issue of TPS for Haiti to the incoming administration of Barack Obama. Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States on January 20.
