By Emily Chaffins -
MIAMI | The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops released an August 5 letter addressed to Florida U.S. Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, petitioning that the senators advance the cause of Senate bill S. 4814 – a piece of legislation that would extend Haitians’ Temporary Protected Status (TPS) until 2029.
Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status, which expired after the July 27 federal deadline, carries particular weight in South Florida – home to one of the nation's largest Haitian communities.
Nearly 160,000 Haitian TPS beneficiaries live in Florida, many having worked in the United States for years, raising families, paying taxes, and contributing to the region's economy while Haiti continues to struggle with gang violence, political instability, and a worsening humanitarian crisis. Approximately 350,000 Haitians nationwide were covered by TPS.
Eight bishops signed the August 5 letter to the Florida Senators, representing all six dioceses in the state: Archbishop Thomas Wenski and Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado of Miami, Bishop John Noonan of Orlando, Bishop Gregory Parkes of St. Petersburg, Bishop Erik Pohlmeier of St. Augustine, Bishop William Wack of Pensacola-Tallahasee, Bishop Manuel de Jesus Rodriguez of Palm Beach, and Bishop Emilio Biosca Aguero of Venice.
In their letter, the bishops referenced a Congressional bill that could extend Temporary Protected Status for eligible Haitians until 2029. The legislation – referred to as S. 4814 – is stalled in the Senate.
“Most urgently, we encourage you to do everything in your power to bring about the passage of S. 4814 to offer certainty to our Haitian brothers and sisters in the short-term, while also working toward broader legislative reforms that include opportunities for long-time residents of our communities to regularize their status,” the bishops told the Florida senators.
In a July 29 interview with the Miami Herald, Archbishop Wenski highlighted that Temporary Protected Status is not a permanent fix. Addressing a common objection to extending Haitians’ Temporary Protected Status, he said, "They’ll tell you temporary means temporary, and I agree.”
As the archbishop emphasized in a June 25 press conference, an extension would merely serve as a short-term solution.
“(TPS) has turned out to be an imperfect tool that cannot substitute for the hard work of immigration reform that Congress has to undertake sooner or later.”
However, the extension of Haitian TPS until 2029 “could give our lawmakers time to explore more workable solutions.”
The letter from the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops also brought a rebuttal to the argument that TPS beneficiaries were at fault for not seeking to acquire another status before TPS expiration.
“TPS does not provide an independent basis for adjustment of status,” the bishops explained. “This leaves families who have been residing in the United States under TPS with very few, if any, options to lawfully remain in the country, no matter how long they have called this land their home, the contributions they have made to its prosperity, or the community and family ties they have established.”
“Only Congress is empowered to create these legal pathways, and such reform is long overdue.”
The bishops highlighted the important role that the senators can play in preventing families from being endangered or split up.
Urging the senators to work for the passage of S. 4814, the bishops highlighted, “Time is now of the essence for the Senate to act.”
If you are interested in advocating for the extension of Haiti’s TPS, contact Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, urging for the passage of S. 4814.
NOTE: Catholic Legal Services is urging Haitian TPS beneficiaries not to rely on rumors or social media but to seek individualized legal advice before making decisions about their status.
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