APRIL 16, 2026
Contact: info@haitianbridge.org,  Paige Censale, media@haitianbridge.org

 San Diego, CA — The Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) applauds the historic bipartisan action taken by the U.S. House of Representatives to advance legislation protecting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals by a vote of 224-204 . This critical milestone follows months of tireless advocacy and coalition-building led by community organizations, including HBA, to safeguard the lives and futures of more than 350,000 Haitians living in the United States .

HBA extends its sincere gratitude to  Rep. Ayanna Pressley(MA-07)  for her steadfast leadership, strategic vision, and unwavering commitment to justice. Her leadership in advancing a discharge petition to force a vote on this issue was instrumental in bringing this legislation to the House floor and mobilizing bipartisan support. We also thank all the 224 members of congress particularly, thank you to Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Mike Lawler (N.Y.),Don Bacon (Neb.),Maria Elvira Salazar (Fla.),Carlos Gimenez (Fla.), Nicole Malliotakis (N.Y.), Rich McCormick (Ga.), Mike Turner (Ohio), Mike Carey (Ohio), Mario Diaz-Balart (Fl) for standing on the right side of this historic victory.

“This is what people-powered advocacy looks like,” said Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance. “For months, Haitian Bridge Alliance, UBN, FLIC,IJDH, FANM, Faith in Action, FWDus SEIU, ABIC, CUSP, HWHR and our countless partners have been working around the clock—centering the voices and realities of impacted members ,organizing, advocating, and building bridges across communities and political lines—to ensure that Haitian TPS holders are protected. Today’s progress is a testament to the strength of our collective voice. We are deeply grateful to Congresswoman Pressley for her fierce, unwavering leadership and all members of Congress who stood on the right side of history. This is not the finish line, but it is a powerful step forward to bring protection for over 350,000 Haitian TPS holders and their loved ones.”

As the legislation moves to the United States Senate, Haitian Bridge Alliance urges continued bipartisan cooperation to ensure swift passage. The stakes remain high: without TPS protections, hundreds of thousands of Haitian families face the risk of deportation to a country experiencing profound political instability, violence, and humanitarian crisis. In the meantime, HBA will continue with its robust advocacy efforts until this becomes law.

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 builds solidarity and collective movement toward policy change. Anpil men chay pa lou (“Many hands make the load light”). Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook: @haitianbridge