May 1, 2026

Media Contact: media@haitianbridge.org

San Diego, CA — In recognition of Labor Day and Haitian Heritage Month, the Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) celebrates the profound social and economic contributions of over 1.5 million Haitian Americans living in the United States, while underscoring the urgent need to uphold the human rights, dignity, and legal protections of 330,000–350,000 Haitian nationals  in the United States are beneficiaries or eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) who are unable to return to Haiti due to severe insecurity and a humanitarian crisis .

People of Haitian descent, including TPS holders, play an essential role in sustaining the U.S. economy and workforce. Haitian TPS holders alone, contribute approximately $5.9 billion annually to the U.S. economy . They pay an estimated $1.5 billion annually in federal, state, and local taxes . Roughly 200,000 Haitian TPS holders are active in the U.S. workforce, filling critical roles in healthcare, caregiving, agriculture, transportation, and service industries. 

Beyond the contributions of the Haitian diaspora within the United States, in 2024, remittances to Haiti reached approximately $4.5 billion, serving as a lifeline for families in Haiti and accounting for a significant share of the country’s economy.

The contributions of the Haitian diaspora extend far beyond economic impact. From culture to governance, Haitian Americans have helped shape the social, intellectual, and civic fabric of the United States. Figures such as Wyclef Jean, Naomi Osaka, former Congresswoman Mia Love, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, Edwidge Danticat, Karen Jean-Pierre, and Patrick Gaspard exemplify excellence across music, sports, public service, literature, and diplomacy—demonstrating the breadth, depth, and enduring influence of the Haitian diaspora on American society.

Statement from Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of Haitian Bridge Alliance

“Labor Day and Haitian Heritage Month are a powerful reminder that people of Haitian descent, both U.S. citizens and immigrants, are not on the margins of American society—they are central to its strength. The Haitian community contributes billions to the U.S. economy, sustains essential industries, and supports families both here and abroad. Yet, despite these contributions, Haitian lives are too often treated as expendable. We call on policymakers, including the U.S. Supreme Court, to recognize that protecting Haitian migrants is not only a moral obligation—it is a matter of justice, economic stability, and human dignity.”

In honor of Labor Day and in observance of Haitian Heritage Month, Haitian Bridge Alliance calls on the U.S. Congress and the Executive branch

• Extend and redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti

• Ensure equitable access to asylum and humanitarian protections

• Address systemic racial disparities in immigration policy and enforcement

• Recognize and invest in the contributions of Haitian and broader Black immigrant and diaspora communities

Through robust advocacy led by HBA and its partners, the U.S. House of Representatives, under the fierce leadership of Rep Ayanna Pressley, passed legislation on April 16, 2026, to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals for three years. HBA has been actively engaging with the U.S. Senate to advance passage of a corresponding measure. HBA continues to advocate across both Congress and the courts—not only on behalf of Haitian TPS recipients, but for immigrant communities more broadly, with particular attention to those from marginalized backgrounds.

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ABOUT HAITIAN BRIDGE ALLIANCE

Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), also known as “The Bridge”, is a grassroots community organization that advocates for fair and humane immigration policies, foreign policy, and provides migrants and immigrants with humanitarian, legal, and social services, with a particular focus on Black migrants, the Haitian community, women and girls, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and survivors of torture and other human rights abuses. HBA also seeks to elevate the issues unique to Black migrants and build solidarity and a collective movement toward policy change. Anpil men chay pa lou (“Many hands make the load light”).
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