Haitian Immigrants and Allies Decry Trump Termination of TPS at Opening of Federal Trial to Halt Possible Deportations

Federal trial begins Monday to protect more than 50,000 immigrants and their families from being forcibly separated by deportation

WHAT: Press conference with plaintiffs and community members to discuss critical federal case to halt the termination of federal program that has allowed more than 50,000 Haitian immigrants to live and work legally in the US.

WHO:   

Jocelyne Gay, HaÏti Liberté; Marleine Bastien, Executive Director at Family Action Network Movement (FANM) and other Haitian TPS holder plaintiffs in the case;

Paromita Shah, Associate Director at National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild;

Elected officials, including Council Member Mathieu Eugene;

Community, faith and labor allies, including Pastor Mullery Jean-Pierre, Beraca Baptist Church, Brooklyn;

Beatrice Lindstrom, Legal Director at Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti;

Alison Hirsh, Vice President, SEIU 32BJ;

Representatives from New York Immigration Coalition and Black Alliance for Just Immigration

WHEN: Monday, January 7, 9:00 am ET

WHERE: Eastern District of New York Federal Court House, 225 Cadman Plaza E, Brooklyn NY, 11202    Gather across the street from the main entrance

Background

Haitian immigrants affected by the termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program will gather with members of the Haitian community, allies including elected officials, faith leaders and immigration advocates, in front of the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on the first day of a trial challenging the Trump Administration’s termination of the program last year. The end of the program puts more than 50,000 immigrants and their families at great risk if they are forced to return to Haiti.

The case, Saget et al v. Trump, is the first trial to challenge the government’s unlawful termination of Temporary Protected Status and the Trump’s administration’s record of racial hostility against immigrants, particularly Haitians. Plaintiffs in the suit argue the Trump administration’s decision to terminate TPS status for Haitians was unlawful and unconstitutional, and motivated by President Trump’s public racial animus towards Haitians and other immigrants of color.  

Experts on the conditions in Haiti, and former DHS officials are scheduled to testify at the trial about why these immigrants should not be deported to Haiti and about documented racial attitudes within the agency.

Saget et al v. Trump is one of five lawsuits currently in the courts fighting against the separation of TPS holders and their families.

Plaintiffs are represented by NIPNLG, Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt PA, and Mayer Brown.

 Contact: Carolina González cagonzalez@seiu32bj.org (929) 287-4263

Contact: Paromita Shah paromita@nipnlg.org (202) 271-2286

Contact: Beatrice Lindstrom beatrice@ijdh.org (404) 217-1302