On May 22, 2017, the Secretary of Homeland Security, John F. Kelly, announced an extension for Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status. The extension is limited, only for an additional six months beginning on July 23, 2017. This additional time for protection will end on January 22, 2018.
This decision comes after discussions with the Haitian government stating that they would like to allow the reentry of former residents back into Haiti. This extension would allow the former Haitian nationals who entered the United States after the 2010 earthquake to make the appropriate travel, housing, and employment arrangements to return back to Haiti. As Haiti is still recovering from the earthquake that devastated the nation 7 years ago, Secretary Kelly is willing to reevaluate the Temporary Protection Status to determine whether it is necessary to extend the program again or whether it not longer needs Temporary Protected Status.
Temporary Protected Status is only meant to be a temporary program. Once the country that has been granted this protection has made it out of its time of disaster, war, famine, health epidemic, or other reason to allow nationals to come to the United States for protection, the nationals can either obtain visas and stay in the United States or relocate back to their home country.
It is important that those who are in the United States on Temporary Protected Status are made aware that their status is ending in a reasonable amount of time so they can decide where they want to live once the protection ends. If you have questions about TPS status, contact an experienced immigration attorney today.
The Law Offices of Cheryl R. David practices immigration law throughout NYC. If you have questions about your particular matters regarding immigration please contact the office to discuss your circumstances and options.
