Healthcare Workers Condemn Plan to End Temporary Protected Status for Haitian Refugees in Six Months

May 23, 2017

Healthcare Workers Condemn Plan to End Temporary Protected Status for Haitian Refugees in Six Months

Boston, MA (May 22, 2017) – In response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s announcement today extending Temporary Protected Status for Haitian refugees for six months, Filaine Deronnette, Vice President of Health Systems at 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, issued the following statement:

“It’s deeply concerning that the Department of Homeland Security is indicating its intention to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 58,000 Haitian refugees at the end of this sixth month period. Such a heartless and reckless end to this crucial program would jeopardize the lives of thousands of Haitians in the U.S. – including over 4,300 living here in Massachusetts. Rather than making us safer, this decision would rip apart families and force individuals to return to potentially life-threatening conditions in Haiti. Given these facts and the many contributions Haitians are making as healthcare workers and to our economy and our communities, we urge the Trump Administration to extend TPS for a more reasonable period.”

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Representing more than 56,000 healthcare workers throughout Massachusetts and over 400,000 workers on the East Coast, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. Our mission is to achieve affordable, high quality healthcare for all. 1199SEIU is part of the 2.1 million member Service Employees International Union.