The Flint Alliance for Immigrant Rights is performing Phone Zap sessions throughout July to urge federal representatives to lobby against the United States Supreme Court ruling on June 25 that allowed the United States Department of Homeland Security to end the Temporary Protected Status of Haitians and Syrians without review by the courts.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services describes TPS holders as people who are already within the U.S. who are from a “country that is experiencing conditions temporarily preventing the country’s nationals from returning safely or, in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of nationals adequately.”
The Trump administration said that TPS was intended to be temporary. James Percival, the general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security, said, “The T in TPS stands for TEMPORARY, yet many of these designations became de facto amnesty.” Percival said that the ruling vindicates DHS, calling it “a win for the rule of law and common sense.”
These Phone Zap sessions involve FAIR facilitating a Zoom session where members of the community can volunteer and simultaneously call and email Michigan federal representatives, such as senators Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters, to challenge the ruling. The sessions explain already-written legislation to volunteers to ask representatives to support it. FAIR said they want to protect TPS holders from losing work authorization and from deportation.
FAIR and volunteers are calling federal representatives to support the American Dream and Promise Act and the SECURE Act, which would allow TPS holders to become lawful permanent residents. FAIR is also asking representatives to support Senate Bill 4814, which would specifically extend Haiti’s temporary protected status for three more years.
All three bills have been introduced to either the House or the U.S. Senate, but have not yet advanced to a vote in the chamber that they were introduced in.
Alysia Treviño, a FAIR coalition member, said they have not received a response from any representatives.
Treviño also said that TPS holders are longtime members of the Genesee County community and they have seen the toll that this administration’s immigration policies have had on families through their advocacy.
“We’ve come to know TPS holders and their families personally, people who have lived, worked, and raised their children here for years under this status. They are our neighbors, co-workers and friends,” Treviño said.
FAIR said they are also concerned for families of mixed status, as families could be separated as a result of these policies.
Marie Haywood is a Haitian immigrant, Flint resident and owner of Uniquely Created Children’s said she has been receiving phone calls as a result of being a naturalized citizen who is involved in the Haitian community in Flint. “I’m getting phone calls and texts, because I’ve been here longer…What can I do? What should I do?” Haywood said.
Haywood said she has cousins who have recently lost their work permits as a result of losing their TPS status. “One of them paid for a renewal work permit but she received a letter stating they are not renewing cards,” Haywood said.
Haywood said Haitians are being told to self-deport, having their work permits taken away and that people cannot attend church because they are afraid of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The remaining phone zap sessions are on July 23 and 24.
Andres Ochoa is a writer for The Michigan Times. He is a photographer and an A/V enthusiast, studying for a Bachelor of Arts in Music at the University of Michigan-Flint.
