By: Haïti en Marche - Translation by HaitiAnalysis.com

The president René Préval asked the American government to stop the deportations of illegal immigrants and to grant them, on the contrary, the Statute of Temporary Protection (TPS), according to the Miami Herald (published on Friday, February 16, 2008).

In a two-page letter dated February 7, 2008, the Haitian president writes that despite being formerly concerned about the TPS, the disasters caused by the Noël (Christmas) Tropical Storm that hit Haiti in last December, made him change his mind.

"It will take at least two years for our compatriots to recover from the consequences of this storm and from other prior recent natural disasters," writes René Préval. "The extension of the Statute of Temporary Protection (TPS in English) to Haitians nationals would protect their children born in American territory, as well as their parents, and this would allow my government to concentrate its limited resources on economical and political reconstruction instead of having to provide social services to people impending deportation."

A spokesperson of the Service of Immigration and Naturalization, Veronica Nur Valdez, replied to the Miami Herald by stating that the agency is in the process of studying the request of the head of the Haitian State.

Whether or not to grant the TPS is a prerogative of the President of the United States, nevertheless the Department of Internal Security (Homeland Security) can make a recommendation on the opportunity to grant it or not.

A similar request from the ex-premier minister interim Gérard Latortue had been denied in 2004, after a storm causing several thousands of deaths in Gonaïves (central area of the country).

For a long time, defenders of Haitian Immigrants Rights (lawyers, social activists and the Black Caucus, members of the U.S. congress) have been campaigning to obtain the TPS for some 20,000 Haitians who live illegally in the United States.

The Statute of Temporary Protection would grant them the obtention of a valid, legal work permit for at least 18 months. In Miami, Haitian immigrants Rights activists rejoice around the request of president Préval and ask president George W. Bush to approve it.

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