Skip to main content
Statement

‘Callous, Unprincipled and Wrong’: Moms Leader Speaks Out Against Termination of TPS for Haitian Immigrants

November 21, 2017
Immigration

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement from Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO of MomsRising, a national online and on-the-ground organization of more than 1 million mothers and their families, on the Trump administration’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status for 50,000 Haitians
“Last night, the Department of Homeland Security cruelly targeted hard-working immigrant families by once again terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS), this time for more than 50,000 Haitians. This is a heartless move that will tear apart families, cause unnecessary turmoil in our communities, and damage our economy. This decision is callous, unprincipled and wrong.
 
“TPS recipients have lived in the United States for an average of 19 years as a result of a special program created by Congress and are our friends, neighbors, caregivers, family members, coworkers and employers. TPS recipients include parents to children who have grown up in the U.S. and know no other home, as well as people who are essential to the fabric of our communities. Forcing TPS recipients to return to Haiti, which is still struggling to rebuild from devastating natural disasters and recover from epidemics like the current cholera crisis, is inhumane and will lead to economic insecurity and regional instability.
 
“We urge the Trump administration to rescind this decision and instead extend TPS for Haitian immigrants and for all TPS recipients. Congress must also work to find a bipartisan, permanent solution so that no other families will be separated. MomsRising has endorsed the SECURE Act, co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
 
“This Thanksgiving, the moms of America are giving thanks for the immigrants who are essential to our families, our workplaces and our communities. We know that tearing apart families is never the answer, and that our country’s diversity is what makes us strong and prosperous; not the opposite. We intend to organize and urge our elected leaders to realize the same thing and make the right choice -- to protect immigrants and build our nation; not tear it apart.”
 

# # # #

MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.