Commissioner Ali supports Resolution 626 and Haitian response
Commissioner Ali expresses support for Resolution 626 and says federal termination of Haiti TPS has created fear and economic instability. She describes MOIA's Haitian Response Initiative, multilingual FAQ, outreach, rapid response clinics, and legal support hotline.
And before I conclude, I also want to briefly discuss and express support for Resolution 626, sponsored by Councilmember Farrell Lewis, calling on Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for temporary protected status.
The federal government's termination of TPS for Haiti has created fear, confusion, and anguish in our Haitian communities.
It has resulted in Haitian New Yorkers losing access to work authorization and economic stability, families becoming afraid to send their children to school, and small businesses seeing fewer patrons and typically active communities.
commercial corridors.
In addition to advocating for the restoration of TPS, the Mayor and MOIA have also advocated for deferred enforced departure for Haitian New Yorkers affected by the termination of TPS.
We will continue to push for these protections while supporting Haitian New Yorkers and other TPS holders here in New York City.
At MOIA, we have worked across the administration and with our community partners, including organizations that are part of our Haitian Response Initiative, to ensure impacted New Yorkers know their rights and have access to legal support.
We are also working to address increased food insecurity and other immediate needs as Haitian New Yorkers who have lost work authorization transition into life without status.
We have developed a comprehensive FAQ available in multiple languages, expanded community outreach, distributed resources on the ground, and stood up rapid response clinics to bring legal services directly into impacted communities.
And we encourage those who are impacted to call MOIA's free, safe, and confidential immigration legal support hotline
at 1-800-354-0365, where trained staff can connect people with trusted legal assistance in their preferred language.
New York has always been a city where immigrants come not only to build a future for themselves, but to build a future for everyone.
Our administration will continue to make sure that immigrant New Yorkers
know that we will stand up for them, that we will defend their rights, and we will fight to protect their families.
Thank you.