Seriously, just do the math. Twenty thousand Haitians plunked down in a town of 58,000. Even if they were the Haitian elite, there would be serious cultural problems. Who approved such a thing? There have to be names on record. How anyone could think this would be a ‘good idea’ or viable solution is beyond me.
TPS was first approved for Haitians in 2010 after a major earthquake devastated the country and has been redesignated or extended several times. Former President Donald Trump attempted to end it for Haiti but legal challenges stopped that. After President Joe Biden took office in 2021 his administration extended and redesignated TPS for Haiti, which allowed additional Haitians already in the country to become eligible.
Currently 80% of TPS applications are processed within 18 months, according to the USCIS website. Once approved for TPS immigrants can immediately apply for a work permit, but they face processing delays.
Many of the Haitian immigrants in Springfield qualify for TPS status and often they’ve applied for asylum as well, said Kathleen Kersh, senior attorney at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, who has been assisting Haitians in Springfield.
