Future Uncertain For Haitian Workers In CT

by Staff Report

HARTFORD, CT – Temporary Protected Status for Haitians living and working in Connecticut will end Monday, after a brief extension by an appeals court. 

Thousands in Connecticut could be affected; many Haitians in Connecticut work in the health care field and elder services, officials said.

Temporary status has allowed people from countries with natural disasters or armed conflicts to legally live and work in the United States. 

The federal government is pushing to end the program in its entirety after a Supreme Court ruling last month cleared the way for the Trump administration to remove the protected status from both Syrian and Haitian immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security has determined Haiti no longer meets the conditions for that status.

Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday said that however brief the extension, it matters. 

“It means thousands of our Haitian neighbors, coworkers, and friends can keep showing up to work and keep earning to support their families for a few more critical days,” the governor said in a statement. “I’m calling on employers across Connecticut to do everything they can, within the law, to keep their Haitian employees working for as long as this window stays open. Every shift worked and every dollar brought home makes a real difference for families facing enormous uncertainty right now.”

Further updates are expected Monday. 

“My administration will continue to monitor this fast-moving legal situation closely and will keep employers and affected residents informed as we learn more,” Lamont said. “In the meantime, I want every Haitian family in Connecticut to know that you are valued members of this community and we have your backs.”