Christians seek reprieve for the estimated 330,000 Haitians at risk of deportation to a country in crisis

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Contact: Lauren Rasmussen, media@wr.org, 802.310.4255

BALTIMORE, Md. – Today, prominent evangelical leaders, including national leaders of ten different denominations, various church network and ministry leaders and scores of local pastors, joined World Relief in petitioning their members of Congress to exercise their power as a co-equal branch of government to legislate a pathway for Haitians formerly relying on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to remain lawfully in the U.S. Following the termination of TPS for Haitians by former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and the recent Supreme Court ruling affirming the role of the executive branch to make TPS determinations, the onus lies with Congress to act. Without swift action, an estimated 330,000 Haitians will be imminently rendered unlawfully present and at risk of deportation to a country that has been in perpetual crisis for years.

In their letter sent to members of Congress today, evangelical pastors and leaders write:

“We appreciate that even though TPS was intended by Congress to be temporary, many Haitians have benefited from this protection for many years, some since it was first designated after an earthquake devastated the country in 2010.

“Tragically, however, it is simply not safe for these individuals to be returned to Haiti at this time. Humanitarian crisis has not been a temporary dynamic in Haiti, which over the past sixteen years has been hit repeatedly by natural disasters, disease outbreaks, gang-fueled violence and the assassination of its president and subsequent political upheaval. The U.S. State Department currently categorizes Haiti as in a “state of emergency” and instructs U.S. citizens not to travel to the country “due to the risk of crime, terrorism, kidnapping, unrest, and limited health care.” To send former TPS holders back would be devastating to them and further destabilizing to a society ill-equipped to integrate such a large number of returning members.”

The letter was signed by dozens of prominent evangelical pastors and denominational leaders

PLEASE LET’S DO ALL WE CAN FOR THOSE IN DISTRESS (you can click on the link to see the entire letter and the signers)