Overview:
NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro addresses concerns from Haitian Temporary Protected Status holders about ICE enforcement, access to city services and work authorization during a community briefing in Brooklyn.
A federal court ruling temporarily halting the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians has brought relief, but not clarity, to thousands of families across New York City.
Just one day before TPS was set to expire, a U.S. District Court judge in Washington, D.C., blocked the Trump administration from ending the program, preserving deportation protections for more than 350,000 Haitians nationwide while litigation continues. The judge cited Haiti’s worsening humanitarian and security crisis, procedural failures by federal officials and what she described as evidence of racial animus behind the decision.
The ruling, however, does not renew or redesignate TPS, leaving many Haitian immigrants uncertain about what protections remain in place, whether they can continue working and how increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity could affect them.
New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro addressed community concerns during a briefing at Life of Hope in Brooklyn on Feb. 4. In an interview with The Haitian Times, Castro answered urgent questions from Haitian TPS holders about ICE enforcement, access to city services and what sanctuary city protections do, and do not, mean during this moment of legal limbo.
The Haitian Times: Are Haitian TPS holders in New York City safe from detention and arrest by ICE right now?
Manuel Castro: We’re reminding people that in New York City, residents have access to services regardless of immigration status, and they should continue to access those services. Health care is a main concern for this community, especially for people who may have lost health insurance benefits.
If someone has lost TPS, they can still use the city’s public hospital system. They can continue to call 911 and access other city services without fear of deportation, which is what our sanctuary city laws allow.
What’s important to clarify is that just because New York City is a sanctuary city does not mean ICE or federal immigration enforcement cannot come here.
That’s why we’re reaching out to lawyers so people know what to do if they’re confronted by an ICE agent or a federal immigration agent, because people have a lot of rights.
THT: How do you reach people who don’t know about these protections or aren’t connected to elected officials or nonprofits?
Castro: We partner with many nonprofits, most immigrant-serving nonprofits, and also with the New York City Public Library. For example, we provide English classes at 60 library branches across the city. Those classes are one way to get information out to the community, because there’s a module there that shares this information.
We have many partnerships. We also have a citywide hotline, 311, where people can call and get information.
THT: Is the city monitoring or aware of ICE presence in immigrant communities?
Castro: Because of strong sanctuary city laws, we’re prohibited from coordinating with immigration enforcement, so there’s no way for us to know their actions or where they’ll be at any given time.
We get the same reports everyone else gets when people say they spotted ICE or immigration enforcement somewhere in the city. We closely monitor the situation when there are reports that someone was picked up or that there was a raid, and then we provide services in the community.
THT: What are you seeing so far? Are you seeing more ICE presence?
Castro: I’ve been saying all year — for the last year — that there is certainly an increased ICE presence compared to previous years. People should be aware of their rights and understand that ICE can appear at any given moment in a neighborhood.
THT: Since TPS has not been renewed, can recipients still work using their existing authorization?
Castro: They need to consult with an immigration attorney or call us so we can connect them to someone who can assess their particular situation. As long as their work authorization is valid, they can continue to use it.
There’s a lot of confusion right now. People should call our hotline or come to Life of Hope or another nonprofit to get an individualized consultation so they understand their situation on an individual basis.
A lot of people get in trouble when they rely on information from non-attorneys. If they have an attorney, they should consult with them. If they don’t, they should seek one through nonprofits.
THT: What is being done to open paths to permanent residency so TPS holders can get out of limbo?
Castro: This is why it’s important to get an individualized screening in consultation with an immigration attorney. There may be benefits available, and people can get answers about different pathways to legal permanent residency that they might or might not qualify for.
One of our biggest issues in New York City is fraudulent private attorneys who lie to people. While there isn’t a comprehensive immigration reform that explicitly creates a pathway for undocumented immigrants, people should be very careful.
Like this:
Loading…
