Press Releases

MIAMI, FL – Today, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) issued the following statement concerning the announcement by the Department of Homeland Security to grant an 18 month extension for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), for Haitians living in the United States, beginning January 22, 2013.

“The extension of Temporary Protected Status is yet another lifeline for tens of thousands of Haitians living in the U.S., especially South Florida. I applaud the decision by Secretary Janet Napolitano and the Department of Homeland Security. This is the right thing to do given the post-earthquake conditions that still exist in Haiti,” says Congresswoman Wilson.

Following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, that killed hundreds of thousands of people and left more than one million homeless, Congresswoman Wilson put in a request to the White House for an extension and re-designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals living in the United States. She also hand-delivered a letter to President Obama, signed by 50 members of Congress, with this dual request.

This week, the Department of Homeland Security is scheduled to publish a notice of the extension in the Federal Register. Haitians, who are eligible, will have 60 days from the date of the notice to re-register. For more information visit, www.uscis.gov/tps or, call 1-800-375-5283.

###

U.S. Rep. Frederica S. Wilson is a first-term Congresswoman from Florida representing parts of Northern Miami-Dade and Southeast Broward counties. A former state legislator and school principal, she is the founder of the 5000 Role Models for Excellence Project, a mentoring program for young males at risk of dropping out of school.