AG Racine & AG Raoul Urge Biden Administration to Expand Temporary Protected Status for Haitian Immigrants

AGs – both Haitian Immigrants – Call on White House & Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to Provide Life-Saving Support for Immigrants Arriving After Previous Eligibility Date

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Attorney General Karl A. Racine – a Haitian immigrant – and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul – born to Haitian parents – urged the President and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and protect Haitian residents in the United States from being forced to return to dangerous, potentially life-threatening conditions.  

“I am proud to join my fellow Haitian-American friend and colleague AG Raoul in urging the Biden Administration to do the right thing now: extend TPS to Haitians that arrived in this country after August 2021,” said AG Racine. “Like my parents, Haitians who have immigrated to the United States have massively contributed to their communities and our country.”

“As the proud son of Haitian immigrants, one of whom was a community doctor, I can attest to the importance of the contributions Haitian immigrants make to our communities,” said Raoul. “Conditions in Haiti have deteriorated due to governmental instability, public health concerns and violence. I am proud to join my friend and colleague Karl Racine to urge the Department of Homeland Security to redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status. Haitian immigrants have risked their lives to escape those dangers, and I will continue to advocate on their behalf so they are not forced to return to life-threatening conditions.”

TPS offers temporary lawful status to foreign nationals in the United States who come from countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disaster, or other extraordinary conditions that temporarily prevent their safe return. On August 3, 2021, DHS announced the designation of Haiti for TPS. That designation, which was set to expire in February 2023 and has now been extended through June 2024, protects certain Haitian migrants from removal and authorizes them to obtain work permits while in the United States. However, migrants who arrived in the United States after August 2021 are ineligible for TPS. In a letter to President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas, AG Racine and AG Raoul urged DHS to make Haitian migrants who arrived after August 2021 eligible, particularly because extreme gang violence—including wanton murder, kidnapping, and rape—civil unrest, and deteriorating health and infrastructure challenges continues to worsen in Haiti, making any return unsafe.

Click here to view the letter AG Racine and AG Raoul sent to President Biden and DHS Secretary Mayorkas.