Gillibrand Was First Lawmaker to Urge Obama Administration To Protect Haitians From Violence And Disaster Following Deadly Earthquake 6 Months Ago

Press Release

Six months after earthquakes devastated Haiti, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today praised President Barack Obama's decision to extend the application deadline for temporary protected status (TPS) of Haitians living in America. The TPS designation came at the urging of Senator Gillibrand, who was the first lawmaker to push for TPS for Haitians living in America immediately following the earthquakes six months ago. About 70,000 to 100,000 Haitians, most living in Florida and New York, are eligible. More than 55,700 had applied as of Friday.

"The camera crews may have left but the disaster in Haiti still persists," Senator Gillibrand said. "Many Haitian families in New York and across the country have already experienced a lifetime of anguish. I want to thank President Obama for extending the application deadline for Haitians living in America for temporary protected status so they can live without fear of having to immediately return to a country still trying to dig out from the horrific earthquakes."

President Obama's decision extends the deadline for Haitians in America to apply for TPS an additional six months.

Senator Gillibrand, who visited Haiti in April, has also pushed the Administration to waive the administrative fees that individuals must pay to apply for TPS. The fees to apply for TPS is $470, which is cost prohibitive for many impoverished Haitians. According to USCIS, approximately 92 percent of the fees have been waived in recent cases.

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