Disasters / Emergencies, Immigration

U.S. Temporarily Halts Haitian Deportations

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Yesterday the United States officially halted the deportation of Haitian illegal immigrants, on a temporary basis. The New York Times reports:

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Haitian deportations would be halted “for the time being,” without specifying a time period. Immigration officials said it was clear they could be putting Haitians’ safety at risk by sending them back to a country staggering from the vast destruction of the quake. About 30,000 Haitians in the United States are facing deportation orders, immigration officials said.

One could argue that there is a great and unfair disparity in U.S. immigration policy regarding Haitians as opposed to other Caribbean nations, like Cuba.
But it’s usually a bad idea to make long-term policy in the middle of a tragedy and crisis.
Still, the move from the Obama Administration here is different than the reaction of the Bush administration when hurricanes ravaged the island in 2008. Details, and a correction, after the jump.


CORRECTION: Initially, I thought that the administration actually granted Temporary Protected Status to Haitian immigrants who are in this country illegally. In fact, the administration has merely temporarily discontinued deporting Haitians back to Haiti. The situation in Haiti has renewed calls for temporary protected status to be formeally given to Haitian illegal immigrants.

Haiti has sought the status after a punishing series of natural disasters, starting with floods in 2004 that left more than 5,000 people dead or missing. In 2008, four big storms killed at least 800 people and destroyed most of Haiti’s food crops.
The Bush administration decided against granting Haitians the temporary status in December 2008, and the Obama administration decided last March to continue deporting Haitians.

The dangerous situation in Haiti is a little bit more obvious this time around.
So, if TPS is granted, how long is temporary? Traditionally TPS lasts for 18 months. But it can be re-authorized. Sudanese nationals have had temporary protected status, off and on, since late 2001.
Most likely, the U.S. will see more illegal Haitian immigrants as the country struggles to rebuild. So, I wouldn’t imagine deportations to be restarted any time soon.
UPDATE: The Obama administration has officially extended temporary protected status to Haitian immigrants.
In Quake Aftermath, U.S. Suspends Deportations to Haiti [New York Times]

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