U.S. Sees Success in Immigration Program for Haitians

New York Times ^ | January 19, 2011 | Kirk Semple

[triumphant values]

A year after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the American government has received more than 53,000 applications from Haitians seeking temporary legal status in the United States, and it has approved the vast majority, a top immigration official said Wednesday. Enlarge This Image

J.B. Reed for The New York Times A Haitian immigrant, back to camera, being helped last January in a clinic to apply for temporary legal status. Most of the 53,000 Haitians who applied by the deadline Tuesday gained the status. The official, Alejandro Mayorkas, director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, said his agency’s response to the disaster showed that it could handle a much larger immigrant legalization program like the proposal known as the Dream Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of young illegal immigrants.

Tuesday was the deadline for Haitians to apply for the designation, called temporary protected status. The program gives most Haitians who were in the United States on the day of the earthquake the right to stay and work legally for 18 months while Haiti tries to recover.

“I think our performance and our execution of the T.P.S. program serves as a model of our ability to execute immigration reform programs,” Mr. Mayorkas said in an interview. “How quickly, effectively and efficiently we responded to the disaster is a standard for us to adhere to.”

[mewykwistmas]

“seeking temporary legal status in the United States, and it has approved the vast majority,”

Temporary........

[triumphant values]

A year after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the American government has received more than 53,000 applications from Haitians seeking temporary legal status in the United States, and it has approved the vast majority, a top immigration official said Wednesday.

And I'm sure they'll all be dutifully going home as soon as the programs time is up. Sure.

[GeronL]

There is apparently a House bill that would make Pakistani illegal aliens a “protected” group.

[dragnet2]

This stinking corrupt government would allow in AIDs infected cannibals from the Congo, as they sit behind their walled guarded and secured communities winking and smiling.

I guess we have so many damn jobs available and our economy is doing so good, we can bring in 53,000 Haitians...

We should force them into neighborhoods of those running this government.

[dljordan]

I’m so glad that the raped and robbed American tax payer (those of us that are left) is being allowed to take thousands of Haitians to raise for generations to go along with the hundreds of thousands of Somalians. We’ve been so successful in assimilating them in recent years. Well, if you leave out that whole Voodoo and child prostitution thing. Oh, and the goat sacrifices and female circumcision and stuff.

[Rembrandt]

Approving these “temporary” visas is just bone-rattling stupid. Maybe 2% of these folks will leave the U.S., the rest will be on our hands forever. What a Friggin’ disaster of an Administration!

[dragnet2]

This punitive government ruling class clearly wants to destroy this country, as they literally defecate on the American tax payers.

[Graneros]

Jobs? Surely you jest. They don’t want no stinking jobs. No sir, Uncle Suga gonna take care of dem. Housing, health care, food stamps, and of course a monthly stipend will all be provided, while other Americans pound the pavement looking for non existent jobs and do without.

[triumphant values]

They’ve been here a year so far. We should be getting a batch of 10,000 anchor babies dropped any day now out of this crowd.

[LostInBayport]

I understand all 53,000 have been given a complimentary copy of How to Get Asylum in America, Live Like a Welfare Queen and Moan that the System Took Advantage of You, by Aunty Zeituni Onyango.

[HiJinx]

Ping!