On Monday a federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s pause on temporary protected status for Haitians living in the United States. The move temporarily assuages fears of deportation for nearly 350,000 people.
Father Levelt Germain came from Haiti when he was 17. He has now worked at The Church of St. Joseph in Spring Valley for the last 13 years. Spring Valley is home to one of New York’s largest Haitians communities.
Speaking with WAMC this week, Father Germain had not yet heard that a federal judge had temporarily protected TPS for Haitian immigrants.
“Thank you for breaking the news to me,” he laughed.
Father Germain says the anxiety over the future of their TPS had been eating away at the people in his congregation.
“The anxiety can only be expressed as the uncertainty of tomorrow. What's going to happen to them? Are they going to be returned to Haiti? How are they going to provide for their family?”
Henry, a Haitian immigrant who asked WAMC only to use his first name due to fear of deportation, says he feels great.
“Now I'm feeling great for the news… So everyone feeling great.”
Attorney Fitzgerald Tandro, whose parents and family are from Haiti, represents Haitians immigrants with TPS. He says, as a lawyer, he has trouble enjoying this moment.
“There was a lot of celebrating in [my] household. They were celebrating. I, on the other hand, had a moment of reflection like, is it too early to celebrate?”
Eve Cherry, who immigrated to the US from Haiti when she was eight, works with advocacy group Konbit Neg Lakay. The organization provides educational resources to the Spring Valley Haitian community. She says, like Tandro, many people are feeling mixed emotions with news about TPS and ICE during the Trump administration's efforts to deport immigrants.
“They're excited and so scared. Kids are scared to go to school. People are scared to go to work. They can't live a social life. They wanted to stay home. I know people who're even scared to go to the supermarket “
Tandro says the government's targeting of Haitians reeks of racism. He says many immigrants, including Haitians, Venezuelans, Cubans and Nicaraguans received TPS from the Biden Administration.
“They've came here legally through a program instituted and administered by the former president of the United States. There can be no more legality than that.”
Tandro says the fear of many Haitians of returning back to Haiti is very real, fears of corruption, gangs, and violence.
But he says the Trump administration is making it impossible even for judges, who have been fired by the dozens, to grant asylum or TPS to Haitian immigrants.
“The administration controls the judges and the defenders, the prosecutors over there. They control them. They're getting rid of them if they don't comply.”
Tandro says that filing an appeal can now cost more than $1,000, under a new rule under the Trump administration.
Haiti’s independence came in 1791 when enslaved Africans revolted against their French colonizers in one of the only known successful slave rebellions. But France punished Haiti severely. That, at least in part, still impacts the country's current economic struggle.
Eve Cherry says Haitians have always supported independence movements in other countries and she wants everyone, not just Haitians to have hope.
“I just want them to be strong. Have faith. Keep praying and just keep pushing. Keep pushing, keep pushing, keep pushing. “
Congressman Mike Lawler, a Republican from the 17th District, says he stands with the Haitian community and has spoken to President Trump, DHS Secretary Kristy Noem, and Secretary Marco Rubio to advocate for Haiti and Haitians in the US. He issued a statement that reads in part:
“Haitian TPS holders are essential to our healthcare system, our transit workforce, and our small businesses across the Hudson Valley,” Lawler said in a statement.
Henry says he just hopes everyone can feel safe to leave their homes again.
“So I want to say to all my Haitians here to not be scared anymore, and some of them go back to work easily. Nice and easy.”
