SWFL

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will expire for Haitians on July 22, 2019, sending back about 46,000 immigrants to their home country.

 

TPS is a temporary status granted to people who are from countries that have political unrest, natural disasters and other extraordinary conditions. The United States Congress created the TPS program in 1990 .

Natasha Alexis, born in Port-au-Prince, current TPS holder, says she is unsure of what she and her family will do once TPS expires. 

“Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on and I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I leave it to God,” Alexis said.

Alexis has lived in the States for over 25 years, having moved here to join her family. When she moved here in 1993, she lived in Long Island, New York, with her aunt. Later, she relocated to Miami, Florida, to live with her father before he died and has lived there ever since.

 

Immigrants are required to register for TPS and must pay between $50-$545 in fees for consideration. After initial registration, TPS holders must re-register during the re-registration period to hold their status. The U.S. Court of Appeals Eleventh Circuit, which includes Florida, states that once TPS expires, individuals will be sent back to their home country unless they are eligible to apply for residency.

With TPS expiring in a little over a year, Alexis said she feels that the United States government should take into consideration that TPS is transporting law-abiding individuals, who have established more than just a home in the States, but better opportunities for themselves.

“I built my family here,” she said. “My child was born here and I was never arrested, never been in crime and I’m just a hardworking, single mom. To me, they should think about what they’re going to do for us. It’s not only for me, but it’s for everybody who’s living here.”

 

Judith Fulford, who is also a TPS holder, originally came to the United States in 2006 because her son needed surgery. She soon found out after the surgery that her son had autism.

 

“You know, my country doesn’t have any resources for autism, so that’s why I stayed in the United States,” Fulford said.

 

As of now, she says she doesn’t have a plan to relocate when TPS expires in 2019. Her main concern is the safety of her children, who are U.S. citizens.

“Do something for us,” she said. “Do something for the kids, because for me, I’m not thinking for me, I’m thinking about my kids.”

 

60 days before TPS expires, the Secretary of State and other departments review the conditions in the country to see whether they still warrant the designation. Decisions must be published in the Federal Register. If there is no decision within that 60-day period, TPS is extended to holders for an additional six months.