May 18, 2024
Contact: Paige Censale, [email protected] 

San Diego, California – On Wednesday, May 8, 2024,  Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) partnered with the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Haiti Caucus for a roundtable discussion with the Haitian diaspora. This pivotal event brought together leaders, advocates, and community members to discuss pressing issues affecting the Haitian community both in the United States and in Haiti.

The roundtable aimed to foster meaningful dialogue on key topics including immigration policy, economic development, healthcare access, and ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Republic of Haiti. By uniting policymakers, community leaders, and diaspora members, this collaboration sought to identify actionable solutions that would strengthen bilateral and trade relations between the United States and the Republic of Haiti.

“We are honored to have collaborated with the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Haiti Caucus,” said Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance. “This roundtable represents a significant step forward in our mission to advocate for the rights of immigrants and the well-being of Haitians in the United States and in Haiti. We look forward to working with the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Honorable Steven Horsford, to ensure foreign policy towards the Republic of Haiti will bring meaningful and sustainable development, support democratic governance, and improve the overall quality of life for the Haitian people.”

The roundtable discussion followed a press conference held at the Capitol led by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and members of Congressional Haiti Caucus and Congressional Black Caucus, where members urged the Biden-Harris administration to extend and redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which expires on August 4, 2024 and halt the repatriation of Haitian nationals to Haiti in light of the insecurity and humanitarian crises. Furthermore, the members asked for the following:

• Immediate release of detained Haitians, and support administrative closure of removal cases, expedite processing for the Haitian Family Reunification Program, the Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans (CHNV) parole program
• To avoid disruption of employment eligibility, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) must issue a new Federal Register Notice extending TPS work authorization for current TPS holders well before August 4, 2024
• Reconsider the sending of Haitian nationals to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
• Support strong and sustainable infrastructure in Haiti including agriculture, education, healthcare, and roads

Roundtable participants included:

• Representative Steven Horsford (NV-04), Chairman, Congressional Black Caucus
• Representative Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Co-Chair, House Haiti Caucus
• Representative Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chair, House Haiti Caucus
• Representative Maxine Waters (CA-43)
• Representative Frederica Wilson (FL-24)
• Representative Maxwell Frost (FL-10)
• Representative Stacey Plaskett (D-VI)
•  Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Co-Chair, House Haiti Caucus
• Representative Barbara Lee (CA-12)
• Representative Jonathan Jackson (IL-01)
• Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)
• Haitian Bridge Alliance
• UndocuBlack Network
• Haiti Renewal Alliance
• Florida Immigrant Coalition
• Office of the Haitian Diaspora
• National Haitian American Elected Officials Network
• Global Justice Clinic, NYU School of Law
• Society In Action, Inc.
• Thelusca Global Consulting Group
• Haitian American Foundation for Democracy
• International Rescue Committee
• Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
• MTA Visions Global CSR & Govt Relations
• Bridgevision 
• NÈGÈS MAWON
• National Alliance for the Advancement of Haitian Professionals
• FEWGI Foundation for the Emancipation of Women and Girls
• Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti
• Center for Economic and Policy Research
• The Haitian Times
• Quixote Center
• Immigrant Family Services Institute, Inc.
• New York City Public Schools
• Barbershop Speaks
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation
• Avanse Ansanm
• Open Society Foundations
• Haitian Christian Leadership Coalition
• The City of Coral Springs
• HaitiBrigade
• Haitian American Lawyers Association of DC Maryland and Virginia
• Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights
• Caribbean Heritages Collective
• Tabernacle of Glory