Stand with Haiti: 3 Actions to Take

America's Voice Blog

Posted 01/15/10 at 09:29am

Yesterday we blogged about the catastrophic devastation in Haiti as a result of this week's magnitude 7.0 earthquake.

Here are three ways to stand with Haiti right now:

1. Donate to the relief efforts. Give to organizations working in Haiti like Partners in Health. You can also contribute online to the Red Cross, or donate $10 to be charged to your cell phone bill by texting "HAITI" to "90999."

2. Sign a petition by CREDO Mobile (a progressive mobile and online advocacy network) or Catholics United to President Obama. Both are also fighting for long-overdue Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants already living in the United States.

3. Blog about this and spread the word on twitter, facebook... you name it.

CREDO says, on their action page, "Tell Obama: Grant "Temporary Protected Status" for Haitian refugees:"

Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti -- we should not compound their tragedy by denying them the legal protections needed to shield them from indefinite detention and forcible deportation.

In February of last year, President Obama's Department of Homeland Security followed through on a Bush administration plan and ordered the forcible repatriation of over 30,000 Haitians.

The White House just announced that it was "pausing" the deportation of Haitian refugees -- but it has refused to afford Haitians the immigration protections offered to victims of war or disaster from countries including El Salvador, Honduras, Somalia and Sudan. Simply pausing deportation falls far short of the protections advocated by human rights groups.

President Obama must order the Department of Homeland Security immediately grant Temporary Protected Status to undocumented Haitians in the U.S. This will give them protection from forcible deportation to Haiti, allow them to work legally, and start the long and difficult process of healing their families and communities. To refuse to do so would be irresponsible and immoral.

Thanks for standing with Haiti, and with our Hatian brothers and sisters in the United States, during this massive tragedy.