D001 Haitian Temporary Protective Status

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

That this 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church recognizes that a six-month extension will not allow Haitian Temporary Protective Status (TPS) recipients living in the United States time to attain travel documents and make other necessary arrangements for their ultimate departure from the United States, and will also not provide the Haitian government with the time it needs to prepare for the future repatriation of all current TPS recipients; and be it further


Resolved, That this 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church recognizes the arguments for extending this “temporary” status stressed that Haiti is in no condition to take back the estimated 50,000 or so people benefitting from this amnesty program and that its not like the expiration of the amnesty would mean all 50,000 would be rounded up and sent home the next day. Rather, they would all simply return to their prior status – mostly illegal aliens, plus some who were here on student or tourist visas when the earthquake hit. Those who were illegal and came to the attention of ICE would be deported, just like other Haitian illegal aliens; and be it further


Resolved, That this 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church requests that the Administration hereby extends the TPS designation for Haitians for another 18 months.