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Originally published by Politico
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and NAACP Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over its decision to rescind the temporary protective status for Haitian immigrants.
“The action by the Department of Homeland Security to rescind TPS [temporary protective status] for Haitian immigrants is clearly racially motivated,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in organization’s press release. “The U.S. Constitution prohibits singling out certain immigrants for harsh treatment based on their skin color and/or ethnicity. But more than that, basic fairness militates against this draconian action taken by DHS under the direction of President Trump.”
emporary protective status allows a group of persons temporary refuge in the U.S, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. It's generally granted to individuals escaping war or an environmental catastrophe like a massive earthquake.
The lawsuit referenced the president’s recent comments in which he belittled Haiti, El Salvador and some African countries, as well as his suggestion that Haitians “all have AIDS,” in December.
“It’s disheartening to see the Haitian community targeted and mistreated in this way, but it also is not surprising,” Raymond Audain, Senior Counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said. “This decision reflects a shameful and persistent pattern of conduct by this Administration in which racial stereotypes drive policy decisions.”
The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, asking the court to reinstate the status for Haitians.
A spokesperson for DHS declined to comment, citing a policy against speaking on pending litigation.
Read more:https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/25/haitians-temporary-protected-status-naacp-367535
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