The Biden administration made a last-minute decision, announcing the extension and redesignation of a temporary protected status for Haitians.
They extended it for an additional 18 months. The Temporary Protected Status, also known as TPS, for Haiti has been extended from Feb. 4, 2023, through Aug. 3, 2024.
The Secretary of Homeland Security cites the reasons as extraordinary and temporary conditions in Haiti.
New Bridges for Haitian Success Founder and Executive Director Bernard Georges said he visited the country recently.
"I was in Haiti, and it's sad to see the condition these folks are living in. Like everyday is a kidnapping," said Georges. "That's the reason why some of these folks are leaving the country to come to the United States, just for protections, so when I received this news, I was excited about the news because it's a big relief for those who came here undocumented."
Georges founded New Bridges for Haitian Success in 2013, located on Prairie Avenue in Providence.
They handle everything from health services to immigration advice, aiding more than 100 undocumented Haitians here in Rhode Island.
Bremer Law & Associates Immigration Attorney Braxton Medlin says it is good news, but it is a temporary solution.
"It leaves people in a limbo, and I just think that America has the resources, and we should be allowing people to adjust their status, especially since people have been here for 20 years, 30 years," said Medlin. "They've been paying taxes. They've been working. They have families. It makes no sense that they don't have a permanent path to residency and citizenship here in the United States."
However, Haitians who came here after Nov. 6, 2022, are not eligible for TPS and are still at risk of deportation.
"It does not lead to a green card. It does not lead to permanent residency. It does not lead to citizenship, but once the government decides that Haiti is safe to return to, temporary protective status ends," said Medlin.
There are now many Haitians in Rhode Island need legal help, which costs a lot of money, funds that New Bridges for Haitian Success doesn't have.
"It's a long process. So, these folks, they don't have the money because they're undocumented," Georges said. "They don't have the legal documents. They don't have the money, so who is going to assist them."
Georges said they are only working with pro bono lawyers. They are asking for local lawmakers to help aid them now, as they work to give Haitians a better life in the U.S.