On the eve of the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Senator Shelley Mayer co-hosted a community forum with Guerline M. Jozef, Executive Director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, and Karin Anderson Ponzer, Director of Legal Services at Neighbors Link. They were joined by special guest Congressman George Latimer to discuss the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing the Trump administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals. There were 145 people who joined the call.
On June 25, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision allowing the Trump administration to move forward with terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. As a result, TPS protections for Haitians were initially scheduled to end on July 10. Subsequently, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) extended the deadline to July 24 as the federal courts continue to address the impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling. Immigration & Community Resources for Haitian Families
| Immigration & Community Resources for Haitian Families |
| Neighbors LinkFree immigration legal services and community support.Website: https://neighborslink.org Email: info@neighborslink.org Main Office: (914) 666-3410 Immigration Legal Helpline:(914) 502-3377 Haitian Bridge AllianceAdvocacy, legal referrals, and immigration support for Haitian families.Website: https://haitianbridgealliance.org Email: info@haitianbridge.orgPhone: (619) 693-8708 Haitian American Lawyers Association (HALA)Connects individuals with attorneys and legal resources.Website: https://halaw.org Email: info@halaw.orgPhone: (347) 913-6949 New York State Office of the Attorney General Consumer protection, immigration fraud reporting, and legal resources. Website: https://ag.ny.gov Immigration Helpline: (800) 771-7755 Report Fraud: https://ag.ny.gov/complaint The Attorney General has issued a Consumer Alert warning Haitian TPS holders about immigration scams and reminding New Yorkers to seek legal help only from licensed attorneys or DOJ-accredited representatives. Westchester County Human Rights Commission Assistance with discrimination complaints involving housing, employment, education, and public accommodations. Website: https://humanrights.westchestergov.com Email: humanrights@westchestercountyny.gov Phone: (914) 995-7710 New York State Office of the Attorney General Consumer protection, immigration fraud reporting, and legal resources. Website: https://ag.ny.gov Immigration Helpline: (800) 771-7755 Report Fraud: https://ag.ny.gov/complaint The Attorney General has issued a Consumer Alert warning Haitian TPS holders about immigration scams and reminding New Yorkers to seek legal help only from licensed attorneys or DOJ-accredited representatives. Westchester County Human Rights Commission Assistance with discrimination complaints involving housing, employment, education, and public accommodations. Website: https://humanrights.westchestergov.com Email: humanrights@westchestercountyny.gov Phone: (914) 995-7710 Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “At a time of tremendous uncertainty for the Haitian community, this forum provided clear information, trusted resources, and a space to have questions answered. I thank Senator Shelley Mayer, Congressman George Latimer, Guerline Jozef of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, and Karin Anderson Ponzer from Neighbor’s Link for their partnership in bringing this conversation to our communities. While we cannot control federal decisions, New York has continued to protect the rights of immigrants, investing in the Office of New Americans, strengthening constitutional protections, safeguarding sensitive locations, and ensuring every child has access to a public education regardless of immigration status. We will continue to stand with our Haitian neighbors and all immigrant communities to ensure every New Yorker is treated with dignity, fairness, and respect.” Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “At a time of uncertainty and fear for so many, I am pleased to co-host an event attended by nearly 150 people who wanted to learn more about how we can stand up for and stand by our Haitian neighbors. My sincere thanks to Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Neighbors Link, and the Haitian Bridge Alliance for partnering with me to make this important conversation possible. I am especially grateful to Guerline Jozef and Karin Anderson Pozner for sharing their expertise and helping us better understand the challenges facing Haitian families, and to Congressman George Latimer for joining us in this important discussion.” Congressman George Latimer said, “It is imperative for us to work together on thoughtful solutions to help the thousands of Haitian refugees with TPS status who have no safe option of return to Haiti. I commend the work of Guerline M. Jozef, Executive Director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, and Karin Anderson Ponzer, Director of Legal Services at Neighbors Link, for their contributions to this ongoing conversation as we navigate this legal battle following the Supreme Court ruling. We will continue to adamantly protect all TPS holders and ensure that Haitians across the country are treated with respect and dignity.” Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of Haitian Bridge Alliance, said, “For hundreds of thousands of TPS holders, this is more than a legal battle—it is a fight to keep their families together. Nearly 350,000 Haitian TPS holders and more than 1.3 million TPS holders and their family members now face heightened uncertainty. Many have lived in the United States for decades, are raising U.S.-citizen children, and have become indispensable members of our communities. Our message is clear: we will not allow these families to stand alone. HBA and our partners have launched a robust advocacy effort in the Senate to see the companion legislation, S. 4814, secure as many co-sponsors as possible to extend TPS for three years. Thank you to the State Senator Shelley for her leadership and for organizing the informational forum to ensure our communities have the information, legal resources, and advocacy tools they need as we continue fighting in the courts, in Congress, and across the country for permanent protections.” Karin Anderson Ponzer, Director of Legal Services at Neighbors Link, said, “The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the Trump Administration to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Haiti and Syria is devastating to many in our community. As people grapple with the ramifications of this decision, we were grateful for the opportunity to meet with impacted community members and talk through next steps. Neighbors Link remains available to those who need assistance in the wake of this decision. Please call 914-666-3410 or visit www.neighborslink.org for more information.” According to the Haitian Bridge Alliance, approximately 330,000 Haitians currently hold TPS in the United States, including an estimated 40,000 New Yorkers. These TPS holders contribute more than $1 billion annually to New York’s economy. More than 200,000 are active members of the U.S. workforce, many serving in critical sectors such as healthcare. Temporary Protected Status allows designated countries who are already residing in the United States to live and work legally when conditions in their home countries, such as armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary circumstances, make it unsafe for them to return. Haiti was first granted Temporary Protected Status in 2010 following the devastating earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands of people, displaced more than one million residents, and caused widespread destruction throughout the country. |
