Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Urging Senate Republicans To Stand Up To Trump And Protect Haitian TPS

Washington, D.C. - Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on the Senate floor in support of a UC request to pass a bill to preserve Haitian TPS, urging Senate Republicans to stand up to Trump's vilification of Haitians in our country, who are a critical part of our economy, culture, and society, and protect Haitian TPS. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here:

The Haitian community is woven into the fabric of our great American family, but Donald Trump is trying to tear it apart by terminating Haiti's Temporary Protected Status.

As someone who takes great pride in representing the state that is home to the largest Haitian population in the country, I know just how important the Haitian community is to the American economy, to culture, to society.

But unfortunately, Donald Trump clearly doesn't.

Trump has vilified Haitians with his bigoted attacks and stereotypes over and over again. Now Trump is trying to force Haitians who are here legally to return to the dangerous conditions they fled in Haiti.

Let's be clear: revoking Haitians' Temporary Protected Status will not only hurt them - it hurts our entire country.

In New York, you can't go into a hospital, nursing home, or clinic without seeing scores of dedicated health care professionals who are fiercely proud of their Haitian heritage. That's true in cities and towns throughout the country.

We've heard warnings that if Trump expels our Haitian TPS holders, it will strain our health system and create a gap in our caregiving workforce that will be difficult to fill.

These people are our friends, they're our neighbors. They take care of the elderly and people with disabilities. They are entrepreneurs and small business owners. They work hard. They pay taxes.

And let's not forget that Haitian TPS holders add nearly $6 billion to the US economy each year.

Ending TPS doesn't fix our broken immigration system - it only makes things worse. It's cruel, it's counterproductive.

Sending 300,000 people to Haiti with little to no support will further destabilize an already severe humanitarian and security crisis on our country's doorstep.

I urge all my colleagues to support our legislation and preserve Haitians' TPS Status.

I'll keep fighting for Haitian Americans in New York and beyond - anytime, anyplace.

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