Highland Park - Following the Trump Administration decision to discontinue Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians living and working in the United States, Illinois Attorney General Candidate Nancy Rotering released the following statement:
"More than 15,000 Haitians legally living and working in Illinois are under attack by the Trump Administration. Experts and stakeholders all agree that Haiti is still recovering from natural disasters and cannot properly absorb their return. Not only is the Trump Administration's decision cruel, it is bad policy for the State of Illinois."
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In 2010, 2016 and 2017, Haiti was rocked by natural disasters from which the country has yet to fully recover. In May 2017, the Administration extended TPS for six months for the nearly 60,000 Haitians living in the United States, allowing them to continue living, working, and paying taxes.
"Worker advocates like the Service Employees International Union and business leaders like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce both agree that extending TPS is good for our country. These individuals have lived and worked in our communities for nearly a decade, and are an important part of our workforce and economy. As Attorney General, I would leverage the power of the office to urge President Trump and Secretary John Kelly to exercise their authority under Section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to continue to extend TPS to Haitian nationals, allowing them to live safely. Our state and our nation have a responsibility to protect the wellbeing of these residents and our communities, as well as our economy."
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