Thread: Sen asks for status change for Haitian immigs after quake

NJ Senators out in front on Haiti earthquake

January 14, 9:13 AM
Essex County Conservative Examiner
Terry Hurlbut

In the wake of a devastating earthquake that by some accounts has utterly destroyed the infrastructure of Haiti, New Jersey's two Senators have taken prominent roles in trying to shape American policy toward Haiti and toward Haitian immigrants living in the US.

Senators Frank Lautenberg (D) and Robert Menendez (D) co-signed an open letter to President Obama yesterday afternoon, urging him to grant what is known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians now resident (lawfully or not) in the United States. TPS is sometimes granted to immigrants from countries torn by war or natural disaster.

The earthquake that occurred yesterday has devastated the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince and the chaos that has ensued puts all the citizenry of that country at risk. Now is certainly not the time to deport Haitians into an overly burdened country.

Eleven other Senators, all Democrats, signed the letter. They include the entire New York and Massachusetts delegations and other prominent Democrats from New England, the Midwest, the Southwest, and Florida.

In addition, Menendez released a statement about the Haitian situation, a statement that read in part:

This is an unimaginable tragedy -- an earthquake of this magnitude hitting our neediest neighbor in the Western Hemisphere. The extent of its effects continues to emerge, but it is clear that the devastation is widespread and unprecedented, and that the Haitian people desperately need our full support and assistance. Thousands are estimated to have died, millions have been affected, and important community resources are destroyed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti and Haitian Americans, including the large community in New Jersey. We stand in solidarity with them and have mobilized to provide assistance.

Menendez' office is part of that assistance, according to NJ Today. Persons concerned about the situation, and about locating loved ones in Haiti, can call Menendez' Newark office at 1-973-645-3030.

32,000 Haitians live in New Jersey, as of the 2000 Census. In addition, churches all over New Jersey were fielding missionary teams in Haiti when the earthquake struck. As of this writing, missionaries from at least two New Jersey churches, one in Trenton and the other in Hackettstown, have been able to assure their home churches that they are safe and alive. Communications are difficult to impossible, because virtually the entire infrastructure, except for limited Internet service, has collapsed.

http://www.examiner.com/x-28973-Essex-C ... earthquake

We saw this coming when Gillibrand took office. Sosad was right, she IMMEDIATELY began pandering to anyone but the people she was elected to represent.

The whole thing in Haiti really rips me up. I can't hardly stand it. I agree with allowing the Illegal Haitians to stay here for a while longer, because the risk of disease is so very high right now, but to bring more of them here - hell no!

Haitians have had a hard row to hoe in thier history - the country cannot seem to catch a break and they are deserving of our's (and the rest of the world's) help. It has been heartwarming for me to hear of planes coming in from places like Iceland (whose economy is in shambles) and also Guyana (another dirt poor country) coming in to provide aid. It made me realize once again that it really is a small world after all.

That being said, Haitians will need to rebuild thier capital one brick at a time - and they will. All the while staying in thier OWN country to do it. When the going gets tough, the tough keep going and that is what they need to do.