DORAL, Fla. — Temporary Protected Status advocates met in Doral on Friday to push for congressional action on several pieces of legislation that would provide protections for TPS recipients as work permits for Haitians with the status are set to expire Monday.

“We need people to call their senators,” said Paul Christian Namphy, an advocate from the Family Action Network Movement.

“This week we have been pushing a lot to get those votes. Hopefully we will get the support that we need,” said National Coordinator Arnoldo Diaz.

The advocates are urging Congress to pass legislation offering protections for TPS recipients, including Venezuelan TPS beneficiary Sedna Mercado, who said she recently met with lawmakers in Washington.

“It was really nice because it was bipartisan, Republicans and Democrats,” Mercado said. “We were able to tell them our stories and why we need protection from deportations.”

Advocates said uncertainty surrounding the program has left many recipients fearful.

“People have been driven underground because there is so much uncertainty,” Christian Namphy said.

“Our protection from deportation, as well as our work authorization and driver’s license privileges, are coming to an end, and it is an extremely cruel measure our administration has meted out against us with the help and complicity of the Supreme Court,” Christian Namphy said.

The Archdiocese of Miami said Friday it will have to terminate at least 40 employees at Catholic Health Services, one of its largest ministries, because of federal changes affecting TPS work authorization. Another 10 employees could also be affected pending a final review of their circumstances.

“It’s not just the Haitian community that is in fear, but the entire TPS community is in fear of losing their jobs or going to work and being arrested on the streets because everyone right now is at risk of deportation,” Diaz said.

Mercado said many families have stopped leaving their homes.

“I have a lot of friends and family that don’t go out of their houses, so they depend on DoorDash and Uber Eats to get their groceries. That is how impactful it is,” she said.

TPS provides work permits and protection from deportation after the government determines conditions in a designated country prevent its nationals from returning safely.

“You have Haiti, for instance. That country has some of the worst conditions right now in terms of crime, unemployment, everything, but they decided to terminate it,” Diaz said.

“We are working people. We strive to pay our taxes, to improve the economy and the community, and this is completely unjust. As you see what is happening to the Venezuelans today in a country facing an earthquake, it is inhuman to deport anyone to Haiti or Venezuela or any other TPS country,” Christian Namphy said.

Catholic Legal Services Managing Attorney Vanessa Joseph said the effects of the recent 6-3 Supreme Court ruling allowing the government to move forward with ending TPS for Haitians are being felt by recipients from other TPS-designated countries.

“A lot of people are going to be fearful because when the Supreme Court decided that they did not have the authority to review the government’s decision to terminate TPS, what they essentially allowed is the government to terminate people’s status, execute deportations, even while the lower court was going through its process,” Joseph said.

Asked whether the ruling makes TPS recipients from all designated countries feel under threat, Joseph responded, “Absolutely. I think everyone is feeling like they are susceptible to deportation at any point due to that decision.”

Calling the situation a “state of emergency,” advocates said Congress must act.

“What we need to do is stop those deportations and keep these families protected until conditions change in our countries,” Diaz said.

Joseph said a permanent immigration solution is needed.

“A pathway to residence is extremely important. A pathway to citizenship is even more important for many of these individuals,” she said.

Mercado said recipients also need more time.

“To make a permanent solution or even a solution for one year, because people need time to figure out what they are going to do with life,” she said.

The Archbishop of Miami plans to travel to Washington next week with a Haitian cardinal to meet with lawmakers on the issue.

Click on this link to see updates on Haitian TPS.

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