Rally held in NYC to support Haitian immigrants as TPS protection ends

A rally was held in New York City's Foley Square on Friday evening as supporters of Haitian immigrants called for action.

They're demanding that Congress uphold legal protections that are now in jeopardy after Temporary Protected Status ended.

Immigration advocates say roughly 40,000 Haitians in New York were impacted by the recent Supreme Court decision.

The rally aimed to shed light on the instability many of these communities are now facing in the city.

"The level of dehumanization that we are seeing of Haitians, of immigrants at large, is not surprising, but is just a profoundly cruel reminder of how deeply anti-immigrant and racist this administration is," said Aline Gue, with Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees.  

Local activists and Haitian immigrant rights groups are calling on Congress to not only uphold legal protections, but to grant permanent residency for those who lost their TPS.

The groups are also urging the passing of the American Dream and Promise Act to bring millions of so-called Dreamers and TPS holders out of legal uncertainty.

"Every day, DHS is conducting law enforcement activities across the country to keep Americans safe. DHS does not discuss ongoing or future operations," a Department of Homeland Security said in a statement, in part. "Temporary Protected Status is exactly that—temporary. For too long, TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program despite Congress never intending it to be permanent."

With a risk of deportation imminent, many former TPS holders are currently consulting immigration attorneys to see if they qualify for other legal pathways like asylum or family-based petitions. The wait list, however, remains high.