Florida Rep. Asks Trump to Aid Haiti Amid TPS Concerns

Democratic Representative Frederica Wilson from Florida, who previously boycotted President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union due to his “racist” remarks about Haiti, is now reaching out for the president’s help in saving the country.

On January 27, Wilson, along with other South Florida leaders, urged the Trump administration to extend Temporary Protected Status for approximately 350,000 Haitian nationals before the designation lapses on Tuesday. She described the current conditions in Haiti as a “wild war,” highlighting rampant gang violence, sexual assault, and the disruption of everyday life, warning that ending this protection could lead to a “death sentence” for many.

The Department of Homeland Security argued in federal court that ending TPS wouldn’t force Haitians to return home but would merely mean they couldn’t legally stay in the U.S., according to reports from the Miami Herald.

Wilson disagreed, asserting that the U.S. stands to benefit from the 350,000 Haitians who would face “despair and chaos.” She labeled the potential action as “inhumane.”

Wilson emphasized, “They are not criminals, they are not strangers to us. These are our neighbors, our co-workers, our family, our friends. They are the hard-working people in our communities.”

This recent plea is quite a turnaround from Wilson’s stance in 2018, when she planned to boycott Trump’s first State of the Union after he called Haiti and other African nations “shithole countries.” It’s interesting to note how her current depiction of Haiti—as a place riddled with violence and lawlessness—echoes some criticisms of Trump’s earlier remarks.

With just one day left before TPS expires, there has been no announcement regarding an extension. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes is set to make a ruling on Monday about whether to issue an injunction to stop the termination during the ongoing lawsuit.