22706: (Hermantin) Sun-Sentinel-Bush urged to allow Dominican, Haitian refugees to stay (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Bush urged to allow Dominican, Haitian refugees to stay

By Tania Valdemoro
Miami Bureau
Posted July 9 2004

Miami · Haitian-Americans and immigration advocates on Thursday called for
Gov. Jeb Bush to persuade the Bush administration to grant Haitian and
Dominican refugees the right to stay temporarily in the United States after
floods in May devastated both countries.

"Jeb Bush, get on the phone. Call your brother. We know you've got him on
speed dial," said Monica Russo, president of Service Employee International
Union's Local 1199.

She spoke to a group of at least 40 people who were chanting "Wi, nou kapab"
and "Sí, se puede" or "Yes, we can" in front of the federal courthouse in
downtown Miami.

On June 16, Gov. Bush said he was inclined to support a federal measure
called "temporary protective status" for Haitians after he returned from a
one-day trip to Haiti. More than 1,600 people died in Haiti and the
Dominican Republic during the May floods, while another 1,700 people were
reported missing.

People who receive temporary protected status can live and work in the
United States for a certain period of time without being deported.

They usually come from countries that were racked by ongoing political
turmoil, environmental disasters and other extraordinary conditions.
Activists said the governor has moved too slowly on the issue.

"Our governor said he'd be fighting for TPS for Haitians," said Cheryl
Little, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center. "We
want to know what he's doing."

The activists were joined by Miami-Dade mayoral candidates Jose Cancela, Jay
Love and Commissioner Jimmy Morales, who issued a humanitarian plea to Gov.
Bush.

"We call upon our governor and president to open their hearts and our doors
to let Dominicans and Haitians have temporary protected status, the same
rights other countries have," Morales said.

Nicaraguans and Hondurans received temporary protected status after
Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The federal government has also granted such status
to citizens from Sudan, Liberia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, El Salvador and
Guatemala because of political unrest in those countries.

Jeb Bush remains inclined to supporting temporary protective status to
Haitians, said spokeswoman Alia Faraj.

"As he said earlier, it is an issue he'd need to gather more information
on," Faraj said, adding that the governor has many priorities. "Right now,
he's focused on working with Haitian-American leaders on creating a
commission on the reconstruction of that nation."

The bipartisan commission, whose members the governor will appoint later
this month, will address key issues such as economic development,
technology, environment and health.

"I'm certain temporary protected status will be discussed by the
commission," said Faraj.

Other speakers characterized the governor's recent comments in support of
Haitian immigrants as an election-year ploy to garner Haitian votes for the
Republican Party.

Civic leader Marlene Bastien said Bush promised to help Haitians during his
re-election campaign but has not delivered. Bastien, who held a sign that
read "Jeb, You want Haitian-Americans, what have you done to deserve them?"
plans to continue pressing the governor to help.

"We will not be satisfied until Justice is done," she said.

Tania Valdemoro can be reached at tvaldemoro@sun-sentinel.com or
305-810-5006.      Email story








Copyright © 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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