February 26, 2025
Largest healthcare union demands reinstatement of TPS extension for Haitians
NEW YORK, United States (CMC) — United Healthcare Workers East, the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in the United States (US), urged the Trump administration to reinstate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians.
“The decision of the Trump administration to end the extension of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians is unconscionable,” George Gresham, president of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
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“Haiti has been gripped by a series of crises in recent years, including natural disasters, gang violence and political upheaval. Half a million Haitians have been welcomed to the United States through the TPS programme, allowing families safe refuge while contributing to our communities and economy,” he added.
“The US must act in ways that support security and stability in Haiti and across our hemisphere,” continued Gresham, whose union represents over 450,000 members throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida, and Washington, DC. “This is the morally just thing to do and in the best interests of all countries.”
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“As a union of caregivers, many thousands of whom belong to the Haitian Diaspora, we also recognise how critical Haitian immigrants are to our nation’s healthcare system, which is already facing dire workforce shortages,” he said. “Haitians play a vital role in providing care in nursing homes, home care, hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings, and eliminating TPS will negatively impact patient care.”
Gresham called on the Trump administration to reverse “this egregious decision immediately, which needlessly jeopardises the lives of innocent families who are our loved ones, neighbours, co-workers and friends”.
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Caribbean legislators and immigration advocates in the United States have also strongly condemned President Donald J Trump’s revocation of TPS for Haitians.
“This decision is not only inhumane but also reckless, as it forces thousands of hardworking families into uncertainty and potential danger,” New York City Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, the Haitian-born representative for the 46th Council District in Brooklyn, told CMC. “Haiti is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis. With gangs controlling large parts of the country, including the capital, and with no functioning government to address the violence and instability, sending individuals back to these conditions is irresponsible and dangerous.”
“It is also crucial to recognise the US government’s historical role in Haiti’s current turmoil,” added Narcisse, a registered nurse by training. “From economic interventions to political destabilisation, the impact of American actions has contributed to the chaos in Haiti.”
“After decades of policies that undermined Haiti’s sovereignty, abandoning those seeking refuge is a betrayal and a continuation of this harmful legacy,” she continued. “Let us remember that those granted TPS did not enter the US illegally. They sought refuge through legal channels, following the rules, and were allowed to stay due to the extreme dangers they faced in their home country.”
“These families have made significant contributions to the United States, working in essential industries such as healthcare, construction and education,” she said. “Stripping them of their legal status is an attack on these hardworking individuals, parents, children, workers and neighbours, who have become vital contributors to our communities and economy.”
Narcisse said Trump’s decision will force Haitians “into the shadows, destabilise their lives, and harm industries that rely on their labour”.
“I urge the Trump administration to reconsider this dangerous decision,” she said. “We must stand with our Haitian brothers and sisters, who have endured enough, and ensure they are allowed to remain safe and continue contributing to the country they have made their home. Haitians deserve safety, dignity, and a chance to continue contributing to this great nation.”
New York State Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, said: “Suddenly rescinding the prior Biden administration’s extension of Haiti’s TPS into 2026 is cutting off a lifeline for Haitians facing a literal life-or-death situation and would deport over 500,000 currently seeking sanctuary in the US.”
“TPS is granted to US immigrants who can’t return to their countries because of violence, natural disasters or political upheaval — all of which Haiti sufferers from,” said the chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn. “Let’s be crystal clear: TPS does not provide a path to citizenship — and rescinding it for countries in need is a cruel, racially-motivated decision that violates countless human rights statutes.”
Caribbean-American congresswoman Yvette D Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, also joined the Haiti Caucus co-chairs in the US House of Representatives in condemning Trump’s decision.
“With Haiti continuing to grapple with unspeakable violence and a horrific humanitarian, political, and economic crisis, this is a shameful decision that could be a death sentence for more than 500,000 Haitian nationals living in the United States,” said the co-chairs of the House Haiti Caucus in a joint statement. “Haitians who have lived in the United States for up to 15 years, raised children, started businesses, and contributed to their communities are at risk of deportation for no reason other than being Haitian.”
“We should be doing everything possible to save lives and bring stability and safety to Haiti — not throwing vulnerable people in harm’s way,” they added. “We urge the Trump administration to immediately reverse this cruel and callous decision.”
