Philadelphia Haitians urge senators to act after Trump administration ends TPS

Dozens of community members and faith leaders rallied Thursday in Center City to demand action from local senators after the Trump administration moved to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian migrants. During the rally, led by New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, community members marched to the offices of Senators Dave McCormick and John Fetterman, to urge them to support SB 4814, legislation that would extend the TPS program through 2029. "I'm pretty disappointed in the United States. I am very disappointed at our two senators in Pennsylvania," Mikael Racine, who is from Haiti, said. Thursday's demonstration came after the Supreme Court ruled in late June that the Trump administration could continue with its plan to end TPS for about 350,000 Haitians. Federal officials said the decision to end the legal protections was made after they determined that Haiti no longer met the conditions for TPS designation. However, community members said the State Department contradicts the Administration's argument, listing Haiti as high risk, even advising people to have their will finished before they travel, and to establish protocols with family in case of kidnapping. "It is not safe four our countrymen to go back," Rancine said. "These folks are hard working, they pay their taxes, they take care of people and home and hospitals. They clean hotels, they serve you in restaurants," Rancine said. "We are good people." The U.S. first granted protections to Haitians in 2010 after a catastrophic earthquake, and extended them multiple times amid ongoing gang violence that has displaced more than a million people, according to court documents.