Biden administration grants protected status to thousands of Haitian migrants
By Nick Miroff
May 22, 2021 at 6:39 p.m. EDT
The Biden administration will grant a form of provisional residency known as temporary protected status to tens of thousands of Haitian migrants living in the United States without legal status, the Department of Homeland Security announced Saturday, citing worsening conditions in the Caribbean nation.
Haitians granted protected status will be exempted from deportation for 18 months. At that point, the Biden administration could choose to renew the designation.
“Haiti is currently experiencing serious security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights abuses, crippling poverty, and lack of basic resources, which are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.
“After careful consideration, we determined that we must do what we can to support Haitian nationals in the United States until conditions in Haiti improve so they may safely return home,” he said.
Only Haitians already present in the United States are eligible, so migrants who arrive after May 21 would still face potential deportation, according to DHS.
The decision was a win for the immigrant activists and advocacy groups that have campaigned for the protections and criticized the Biden administration for deporting Haitians to their home country during a period of heightened violence and instability.
more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/biden-haitians-temporary-protected-status/2021/05/22/ae7fe5a4-bb44-11eb-bb84-6b92dedcd8ed_story.html
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