BROOKLYN - U.S. Rep. Edolphus “Ed” Towns (NY-10) applauded the Obama Administration’s efforts this evening following the announcement by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to extend temporary asylum to Haitians who are living in the United States and facing deportation.

“This earthquake has caused unprecedented death and destruction,” said Rep. Towns.  “By providing Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals, Haiti can focus its efforts on the search and rescue of its citizens, many of whom are still trapped beneath the rubble and in need of emergency medical care. The devastation resulting from Tuesday’s earthquake will reverberate in our collective conscience for generations to come.”

The decision by the Obama Administration to grant Temporary Protected Status to Haitian nationals for 18 months will help ease the burden that the earthquake has caused on the country’s economy, infrastructure and the safety of its citizens.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano extended the protection as a way to provide “temporary refuge for Haitian nationals who are currently in the United States and whose personal safety would be ended by returning to Haiti as part of this administration continue the effort to support Haiti's recovery.”  The Temporary Protected Status will go into effect as of January 12, 2010.

Towns’ concluded, “I thank the Obama Administration and Secretary Napolitano for their leadership and compassion in providing additional relief to Haiti during this difficult time.”

Rep. Towns is a proud co-sponsor of H.R. 144, the Haitian Protection Act, which requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti as a country whose qualifying nationals may be eligible for Temporary Protected Status. As Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. Towns is also planning a congressional delegation to Haiti to investigate the effectiveness of the State Department’s response to the earthquake.

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