Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick And Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Lead Letter To Biden Administration Urging Protections For Haitian Migrants And Humanitarian Assistance For Haiti

Congresswoman Cherfilus-mccormick And Haiti Caucus Co-chairs Lead Letter To Biden Administration Urging Protections For Haitian Migrants And Humanitarian Assistance For Haiti
April 23, 2024
Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, along with Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Yvette D. Clarke and Ayanna Pressley led a group of 50 lawmakers urging the Biden Administration to redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), pause on deportations back to Haiti, extend humanitarian parole to any Haitians currently detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detention centers, end the detention of Haitian migrants intercepted at sea, and provide additional humanitarian assistance for Haiti. 

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “We urge the Administration to redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), halt deportations to Haiti, and extend humanitarian parole to Haitians currently detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) detention centers. Additionally, we request your administration’s end to the detention of Haitian migrants who were interdicted at sea. The possibility of transferring them to Guantánamo Bay naval base and other offshore migrant detention centers is concerning and must not be explored. In addition, we are asking that you provide humanitarian assistance to help Haitians navigate these tragically traumatic and difficult times.” 

Cosigners in the House include Representatives Gabe Amo, Joyce Beatty, Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, Tony Cardenas, Troy Carter, Greg Casar, Kathy Castor, Joaquin Castro, Emanuel Cleaver, Danny Davis, Veronica Escobar, Adriano Espaillat, Dwight Evans, Maxwell Frost, Jesus “Chuy” García, Raul Grijalva, Steven Horsford, Jonathan Jackson, Sheila Jackson Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Hank Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Robin Kelly, Ro Khanna, Barbara Lee, Summer Lee, Jennifer McClellan, Jim McGovern, Grace Meng, Kweisi Mfume, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Ilhan Omar, Donald Payne, Mark Pocan, Mike Quigley, Delia Ramirez, Jan Schakowsky, Terri Sewell, Darren Soto, Marilyn Strickland, Bennie Thompson, Rashida Tlaib, Ritchie Torres, Marc Veasey, Nydia Velázquez, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Williams, and Frederica Wilson.  

The letter is endorsed by 140 organizations and advocacy groups including UndocuBlack Network, Haitian Bridge Alliance, Communities United for Status and Protection (CUSP), African Communities Together, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), Haitian Americans United for Progress, Inc. (HAUP), Alianza Americas, National Immigrant Justice Center, Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice, Human Rights First, Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), TPS-DED AAC Coalition, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Faith in Texas, Immigration Hub, National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), Estrella del Paso (Formerly Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services Inc), and more. 

Read the full letter here. 

Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick’s Haiti Efforts:    

 Legislation  

  • Co-led H.R. 1684, the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2023, with HFAC Chair Michael McCaul (R-TX), Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-NY), and Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL), requiring the Secretary of State to submit an annual report to Congress regarding the ties between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti and impose sanctions on political and economic elites involved in such criminal activities.  March 2023.  

  • Co-led an Amendment to the NDAA, including the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2023, with HFAC Chair Michael McCaul (R-TX), Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-NY), and Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL).  June 2023 

  • Co-led a resolution calling for the redoubling of diplomatic efforts by the United States and its international partners to help achieve a negotiated, Haitian-led solution to the current impasse. This would improve citizen security from Haitian gangs, crack down on illicit financial flows, and pave the way for free and fair elections with Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY), Maria Salazar (R-FL), and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA). June 2023  

  • Co-led the HELP Extension Act of 2023 to extend HOPE/HELP trade preferences for ten years.  September 2023 

  • Co-led ARMAS Act to disrupt firearms trafficking from the United States to Latin America and the Caribbean and implement stronger transparency, accountability, and oversight for U.S. arms exports. December 2023  

  • Successfully urged the U.S. Senate to confirm a U.S. Ambassador to Haiti.March 2024  

  • Introduced the CATCH Act to stop American guns from landing in the hands of gangs throughout the entire Caribbean, including Haiti, and to hold bad actors accountable here at home.  March 2024  

 

Letters  

  • Led a letter to President Biden requesting the end of Title 42 and the end of deportations to Haiti. March 2022  

  • Led a letter to President Biden and Secretary Yellen urging the Administration to impose sanctions on those financing gangs in Haiti. October 2022   

  • Wrote a letter to Secretary Blinken and Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield urging the State Department to investigate the mass deportations of Haitian migrants and discriminatory, anti-Black migration enforcement in the Dominican Republic. December 2022  

  • Led a letter with Rep. Espaillat (D-NY) to the Biden Administration outlining the United States' support for Haiti relief efforts. December 2022  

  • Led a letter to Congressional Leadership supporting the reauthorization of the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Acts, commonly known as HOPE/HELP. These preference programs benefit the Republic of Haiti by granting preferential treatment for certain apparel, supporting Haiti’s largest industrial sector. July 2023  

  • Sent a letter to the Administration requesting the re-designation of TPS for Haitians. March 2024  

  • Led Florida delegation letter to Gov. DeSantis on potential mass migration from Haiti to Florida. March 2024 

Statements  

  • Issued a statement on the Haiti migration crisis. March 2022  

  • Led efforts to call attention to the humanitarian crisis in Haiti. Launched the #HelpHaitiNow campaign. September 2022  

  • Issued a statement on the Dominican Republic’s mass deportations of Haitian migrants. November 2022  

  • Issued a statement on Secretary Mayorkas’s redesignation and extension of TPS for Haiti. December 2022  

  • Issued a statement on the safe return of Abigail and Jean-Dickens Toussaint.  April 2023  

  • Issued a statement applauding President Biden’s nomination of Dennis B. Hankins to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Haiti. May 2023  

  • Issued a statement applauding the Biden-Harris Administration for their support of a multinational force to address the insecurity that is plaguing Haiti. June 2023  

  • Issued a statement applauding Kenya’s commitment and leadership to spearhead a multinational force in Haiti.  July 2023  

  • Issued a statement applauding the adoption of the United Nations Security Council resolution authorizing a multinational security mission in Haiti.   October 2023