Rep. Wilson Statement on House Passage of H.R. 1689

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 1689, legislation to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), sending it to the Senate. 

“The House has done its job, and now the Senate must answer to history. 

“I represent the largest Haitian communities in this nation, and I am sounding the alarm because lives are on the line. Right now, my constituents are receiving messages telling them to leave this country or face arrest, deportation, and permanent exile. For Haitian nationals, that is not policy. It is cruelty, it is inhumane, and it is a death sentence. 

“We know exactly what they are being sent back to: a country held together by violence, gangs controlling the streets, and women and children living under constant threat, with no guarantee of survival. And still, they are being told to go back. 

“Let me be clear: TPS is not charity, it is earned. These individuals followed the law. They worked, paid taxes, built families, and strengthened this nation. They did everything right, and they will not be sacrificed, not on my watch. 

“H.R. 1689 is about doing what is right in the face of a humanitarian crisis. We have extended TPS before when humanity demanded it, and we did not hesitate then, so we cannot hesitate now. If it is not safe for Americans to travel to Haiti, it is unconscionable to force Haitians to return. That is not leadership, that is abandonment. 

“The House has acted with urgency and moral clarity, and now the Senate stands at a crossroads, where they can choose courage or choose to turn a blind eye to the truth. 

“I am demanding action: pass H.R. 1689, extend TPS, protect these families, and save lives. 

“And I will not stop fighting until this injustice is ended.” 

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