Temporary asylum for illegal Haitians in US
by Guneet S - January 16, 2010
United States, January 16: The US government has extended the facility of temporary asylum to illegal Haitians in America.
This was confirmed by Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security Secretary, who said that TPS or Temporary Protected Status will help illegal Haitians staying in US to remain there for one and a half year (18 months).
Hence, the undocumented living in US can now look forward to obtaining driving licenses and get employed legally in US. The US Coast Guard will be stopping all new migrants trying to move into the US, warned Ms. Napolitano, adding that any false belief in the minds of people that they will be granted TPS in the US is not true.
However, the US has made it quite clear that no new refugees coming from Haiti will be allowed to the US and this TPS is only for those Haitians who have been in the US before the tragedy struck Haiti on last Tuesday.
This special grant to Haitians comes in the wake of recent earthquake in Haiti and is aimed to help Haitians recover from this tragedy. It is part of special protection offered to immigrants coming from countries affected by any natural or political disaster.
The provision of temporary status to illegal immigrants from Haiti in US by the government will help Haiti to rebuild itself from the remittances being sent by the immigrants in US to their relatives in Haiti.
Stating the TPS as an act of compassion for the devastated Haitians, Ms. Napolitano said the decision was made after several meetings with the State Department and the White House. The Republicans joined with Democrats to press the government for providing TPS to the Haitians.
The long awaited decision of providing temporary asylum is being welcomed. Reacting about the announcement by Ms. Napolitano about TPs, executive director of Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center in Miami, a Haitian activist group, Cheryl Little, expressed happiness by saying that it is certainly a good day.
Currently, there are nearly 100,000-200,000 Haitians in the United States who will get covered under the special provision of TPS extended by the US government.
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