Thursday, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) after having met with Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) Elaine Duke, the cting head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said, "I am pleased to have been able to meet with Acting Secretary Duke to continue advocating for temporary protection status (TPS), or Haitian nationals currently residing in the United States,' adding "I will continue to work with Senator Nelson and our colleagues from the Florida delegation to assist those currently benefiting from the TPS."

tating that a letter signed by several elected : Bill Nelson, Marco Rubio, Alcee L. Hastings, Mario Diaz-Balart, Debbi Wasserman Schultz, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Lois Frankel, Ted Deutch and Federica Wilson was sent to Elaine Duke.

Recall that the DHS must render its decision before Thursday, November 23, 2017 to comply with the American law that requires the decision 60 days before the date of the expiry of the extension, set for January 22, 2018 for nearly 58,000 Haitians living under the TPS.

Extract of the letter :

"[...]

We write again to urge you to extend for a full 18 month Temporary Protected status (TPS) for Haitins currentley living in the United States. We appreciated the opportunily to with you and discuss lhe need for an extension. As swe prepare to make a determination on extension, we encourage you to consider the full range of factors permitted under the law.

The need for a full extension is clear. Haiti - the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere - continues to recover from the : devastating 2010 earthquake [...]

The extensive damage caused by hurricane Mallhew in 2016 only made Haiti's reovery's more difficult. For example. Matthew a major hurricane, destroyed much of Haili's food crops, leaving millions of Hailians food insecure, according to some estimates. We believe that these persistent, dificult conditions in Haïti warrant a full extension, and that the laws allows you to consider these factors among others in making a determination

Furthermore, the Government of Haiti has requested an extension as it works fully recover and rebuild for the benefit of all it people. We owe it to the people to assist them in their efforts, espacially as tehy beginto mpake limited progress. Haiti comply cannot absorb the premature return of 60,000 people at one [...]"

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22733-haiti-flash-usa-law-to-extend-tps-adopted-by-first-senate-committee.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22732-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22623-haiti-usa-frederica-wilson-presents-a-resolution-to-extend-the-tps-to-haitians.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22614-haiti-flash-black-caucus-is-again-pressing-for-the-renewal-of-the-tps.htmlhttps://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22604-haiti-flash-renewal-of-tps-uncertain-58-000-haitians-at-risk-of-expulsion-from-the-usa.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22604-haiti-flash-renewal-of-tps-uncertain-58-000-haitians-at-risk-of-expulsion-from-the-usa.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22214-haiti-tps-senators-democrats-put-pressure-on-president-trump.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21131-haiti-politics-congresswoman-mia-love-wishes-12-additional-months-to-tps.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21022-haiti-usa-tps-congresswoman-yvette-d-clarke-denounces.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21017-haiti-usa-tps-congresswoman-wilson-continues-the-fight.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21016-haiti-flash-tps-extension-for-6-months-official.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20832-haiti-flash-black-caucus-supports-tps-extension.html

SL/ HaitiLibre