As Twitchy has reported, a huge surge of Haitians has been heading for an illegal border crossing into Canada seeking refugee status amid fears that the Trump administration would end a temporary residency permit program that has allowed almost 60,000 citizens from Haiti to live and work in the United States.
The permit program was set up in 2010 to provide refuge after a powerful earthquake devastated Haiti and has been extended several times. On Monday, the Trump administration announced that it would be extending the program once more, to July 2019.
Trump administration ending temporary residency program for 60,000 Haitians who have lived and worked in U.S. since 2010 earthquake. https://t.co/8xkYKQc4hx
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 21, 2017
Actual truth: Trump Admin extends temporary residency for 60K Haitians until 2019. @AP are lying hacks. https://t.co/OgUHuHd9wY
— Terry O' (@IrishTea1) November 21, 2017
The Associated Press reports:
The Homeland Security Department said conditions in Haiti have improved significantly, so the benefit will be extended one last time — until July 2019 — to give Haitians time to prepare to return home.
“Since the 2010 earthquake, the number of displaced people in Haiti has decreased by 97 percent,” the department said in a press release. “Haiti is able to safely receive traditional levels of returned citizens.”
…
Advocates for Haitians quickly criticized the decision, arguing the conditions in the island nation haven’t improved nearly enough for Haitians to be deported.
So, the Trump administration is both extending the temporary program and declaring an end to it. Rep. Katherine Clark, for one, calls the move both “cruel and dangerous.”
Uprooting families and sending them to a country still struggling to recover from devastation is cruel and dangerous. Haitians who came here seeking refuge have become vital to our communities and our economy, and they deserve our help. Congress must act to protect #TPS families. https://t.co/2ov41hcsOE
— Katherine Clark (@RepKClark) November 21, 2017
This is utterly cruel. https://t.co/mUfQjx5Srv
— I'm Suzi Poppins, y'all! (@SoozleMcDoozle) November 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/Thoughtsnviews/status/932799462245785600
Trump is trying to purge the U.S of all black people. We see you jackass. #Haitians https://t.co/MqBktX8TX9
— Impeach or We Take to the Streets ? (@P_Nixx) November 21, 2017
Gosh, it's almost like the Trump administration is a bunch of white nationalists gleefully deporting people of color, or something https://t.co/iJ5gOjNUVE
— Gender Heretic (@OsborneInk) November 21, 2017
I just. Every day I'm stunned at the level of carelessness and disregard… https://t.co/tRJNOPtCqK
— Christina Coleman (@ChrissyCole) November 21, 2017
Thing is, Trump wasn’t president when the “temporary” residency permit program was created, though. Again, he only seems to be enforcing what previous administrations set in place and then let lapse.
They're fighting it? It was called a *temporary* residency permit program! Time to go back home. https://t.co/r8ENskJum2
— Lana (@LanaLokteff) November 21, 2017
Or head for Canada and assume refugee status there — assuming the program really won’t be extended again.
"the benefit will be extended one last time until July 2019 to give Haitians time to prepare to return home"
They're never going to be sent back. https://t.co/o9qZ7C9OC5
— Drew McCoy (@_Drew_McCoy_) November 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/whalefishery/status/932806894170730497
Breaking news: "Temporary" means "temporary." https://t.co/BDnxaOQyBa
— Rick Duncan☘️ (@FedSocLawProf) November 21, 2017
Temporary visas are not permanent.
— ???? ??. ❄️⛈ (@WxmanFranz) November 21, 2017
7 years is waaay past temporary. https://t.co/3Pgv0wGOiG
— DividedStatesOfAmer (@DivStatesOfAmer) November 21, 2017
Make that nine years.
https://twitter.com/dforealdat/status/932775539093528576
They need to head home to Make Haiti Great Again. https://t.co/MR5RDgqEta
— Victor Au (@VictorAu5) November 21, 2017
* * *
Related:
‘We can’t control it’: Canada dispatches troops to illegal border crossing … to assist at makeshift intake camp https://t.co/BoCMhnDBlZ
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 10, 2017
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