Bill To Extend Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status Passes House

WASHINGTON, D.C — The U.S House of Representatives voted Thursday to advance a bill that could extend temporary protected status for Haiti, passing the bill by a 220-207 voting margin.

The vote was almost entirely along party lines, with 212 Democrats voting in favor and 207 Republicans voting against the bill. Seven Republicans — including New York’s Mike Lawler and Nicole Malliotakis, both of whom are up for reelection this year — voted in favor of the bill. Independent California representative Kevin Kiley rounded out the yea votes, bringing the total to 220 for and 207 against. Three Republicans and one Democrat didn’t vote.

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If extended, temporary protected status would designate Haiti as a country too dangerous to return to, allowing Haitian nationals in the U.S. to remain in the country. The bill passed Thursday would create an extension through Apr. 20, 2029.

For Gillen, also up for reelection this year, the passage of HR 1689 through the house is a happy occasion. The former Hempstead Town Supervisor said the repeal of TPS for Haitians would have been devastating for Haitians in the United States, previously telling Patch the current situation in Haiti is exactly the sort of situation the immigration protection was created to remedy.

“I’m thrilled that the first bill I introduced in Congress has just passed the House,” Gillen said. “I was proud to lead the bipartisan effort to extend TPS for law-abiding and taxpaying Haitians who would face horrific conditions if forced back to Haiti. Not only would this threaten the lives of our neighbors, it would also have a devastating effect on our economy.”

From here, the bill advances to the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-vote majority. For Gillen, the focus is on that next legislative hurdle.

“The push will go on after this important victory. I urge the Senate to take up this measure and show the compassion and good sense to protect our Haitian community members,” Gillen said.

Earlier this week, Gillen joined House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages and Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages in Elmont to speak to leaders and members of the Haitian community there.

Present at that meeting was Claire Leone, a member of healthcare union SEIU 1199. Leone told Patch that the temporary repeal of TPS had left health and home care workers in her union scared to go to work, creating gaps in coverage in an industry where there's already a staffing shortage.

"Elmont and Valley Stream is a big Haitian community, and the economy counts on that. They pay tax, they pay rent, they have kids that go to schools," Leone said.

Leone said some members of that Haitian community had also gone through extreme hardship to get to the United States in the first place, making the prospect of being removed from the country or having to return to Haiti on their own especially daunting.

"Some people sell their house, some people live in the jungle for months to come here," Leone said. "Do you think people want to go back to somewhere that's not safe? Somewhere that they used to call home that's not home anymore? It's not safe to go back there."

For Leone, Gillen's advocacy on the issue of TPS meant a great deal.

"Laura Gillen, the congresswoman, she's advocating on behalf of the Haitian community because she knows what the Haitian community's about," Leone said. "That's amazing, because we feel like sometimes we don't have a voice. We feel like sometimes people don't listen to us."