A coalition of 50 organizations held nationwide Days of Action from Thursday, September 24, to Sunday, September 27, demanding that Temporary Protected Status be restored for Haitians. More than 20 events took place in seven states, including Florida, New York, Massachusetts and California.

Organizers are asking members of Congress to co-sponsor S. 4814, a bill that would extend TPS for Haitians for three years, and they are calling for an immediate halt to arrests and deportations of former TPS holders.

The end of TPS affects more than 350,000 Haitians, about 158,000 of them in Florida. Paul Namphy of the Family Action Network Movement (FANM) said the cancellation has disrupted industries including health care, food processing, hospitality and construction. Brian Concannon of the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti urged the Senate to pass S. 4814.

The Trump administration won the legal fight to end TPS for Haitians. Since then, six deportation flights have returned 529 people to Haiti, where armed groups have displaced about 1.5 million people.

Haitians affected by the end of TPS should speak with a qualified immigration attorney or an accredited legal aid organization before making decisions about their case.