Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: “This Friday, January 12, marks the eighth anniversary of the devastating earthquake that took the lives of 250,000…”

“This Friday, January 12, marks the eighth anniversary of the devastating earthquake that took the lives of 250,000 Haitians and left unimaginable destruction. Local south Florida organizations, led by Haitian Women of Miami, will hold a silent march at 4 p.m. this Friday to mark the occasion, walking from Northwest 62nd Street to North Miami Avenue to the Little Haiti Cultural Center. These past 8 years, the people of Haiti have shown incredible resolve, even after being hit by Hurricanes Matthew and Irma recently, and, sadly, there is still much work to be done, Mr. Speaker. Many Haitians came to the United States after these natural disasters seeking safety and security. Sadly, the administration terminated the Temporary Protected Status, TPS, to these individuals, forcing them to return to a devastated Haiti that is still struggling to rebuild. As we mark this sad anniversary, we must reaffirm our commitment to helping Haiti move forward, and that must start by calling upon the administration to reverse its decision to terminate TPS for Haiti. ____________________”