Fewer Haitians than expected apply for US immigration status
March 16 2010 by Liam Clifford
Fewer Haitians than anticipated have taken up the offer to gain the legal right to remain living and working in the US as a result of the devastating earthquake that shattered the island nation in January.
On 12 January the US
immigration department declared that any Haitians living in the US could apply
for temporary protection status (TPS), which would prevent them from being
deported back to their home country. The move was seen as one of the most
effective ways to help the country get back on its feet after the earthquake.
The TPS allows the Haitians to work in the US legally for an initial period of
18 months.
Two months later and the number of Haitians applying to TPS
has fallen short of expectations. Just 34,427 of the 100,000 to 200,000
undocumented Haitians thought to be living in the US before 12 January have
applied to US immigration so far, despite the fact that the application period ends in
July.
Critics claim the application fee, totalling around $500, is
preventing most from applying. The average monthly amount sent by Haitians to
their relatives in Haiti – a system that keeps the country on its feet – is just
$150. There are now calls for a fee waiver process to be made simpler.
See the latest Immigration News
