By Tiffany Williams –
BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey is urging the U.S. Senate to pass legislation extending Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, warning that allowing the protections to expire would have widespread consequences for Massachusetts families, employers and essential services.
The legislation has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives.
Temporary Protected Status for Haitians is scheduled to expire Monday after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld President Donald Trump’s plan to end the policy that has been in place since 2010.
Healey said Haitian TPS holders play a critical role in Massachusetts’ workforce, particularly in health care, long-term care, transportation, hospitality and construction.
“Haitian TPS holders are essential contributors to our state’s workforce, filling roles that are vital to our economic stability and growth. The sudden loss of their legal status and work authorization would be devastating for our state,” wrote Governor Healey. “I urge Congress to take immediate action to extend TPS protections for Haiti. Forcing Haitian TPS holders to return to a country that has faced repeated natural disasters, economic crisis, widespread violence and political instability goes against the very purpose of TPS, which protects individuals already in the United States who cannot safety return to their home country.”
According to the Healey administration, more than 45,000 Haitian TPS holders live in Massachusetts, where they work in a variety of essential occupations, including nurses, home health aides, certified nursing assistants, technicians, construction workers, hospitality employees and transportation workers.
The administration said Haitian TPS holders contribute an estimated $5.9 billion annually to the U.S. economy, while TPS holders across all designated countries contribute approximately $29 billion each year and pay an estimated $7.8 billion in federal, state and local taxes.
Healey also highlighted concerns about the impact on the state’s healthcare system.
The Massachusetts Senior Care Association estimates that up to 2,000 workers in its member facilities could lose work authorization if Temporary Protected Status is not extended, further straining an already challenged healthcare workforce.
The governor noted that she previously urged then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in January to extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitians.
Her administration has also convened business leaders to discuss the impact of President Trump’s immigration policies, including the termination of TPS, on Massachusetts employers and the economy.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision allowing President Trump to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, Healey held a press conference with Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and community leaders calling for continued protections.
The Healey-Driscoll administration said it has also provided guidance and training to hundreds of employers while directing state agencies to support affected workers, employers and communities with information and resources as it continues urging federal action.
The United Way of Massachusetts Bay has activated the United Response Fund to support community organizations providing emergency assistance to Haitian and other families affected by the expiration of Temporary Protected Status.
The governor’s call received support from members of Massachusetts’ congressional delegation, business organizations and healthcare leaders.
“Haitians are a powerfully important part our communities – they run small businesses, staff hospitals, and are our neighbors. It is wrong for the Trump administration to rip these hardworking, legal immigrants out of our communities and deport them into imminent danger. I cosponsored a bill to reinstate Haiti TPS and I won’t stop fighting to protect the Haitian community,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren.
“TPS holders are essential threads in the fabric of our communities. They are teachers, caregivers, small business owners, and invaluable leaders. Donald Trump’s vile, anti-immigration agenda is threatening to strip these individuals — 45,000 of whom live in our Bay State — of the dignity, opportunity, and protection they deserve. We cannot turn our backs on our neighbors. We must act immediately to extend TPS for Haitian immigrants,” said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark.
“Haitian TPS holders are essential to our communities and economy, and ending TPS for Haiti would be devastating for Massachusetts and our country,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, whose bipartisan legislation to extend Haiti TPS passed the House in April. “The Senate must do right by our Haitian siblings and pass our bill to extend TPS for Haiti and deliver the critical protections they deserve. I’m grateful to Governor Healey for her partnership in standing up for our neighbors.”
Business leaders also warned of economic consequences if the protections expire.
“Quite simply, the loss of TPS holders is an economic one for the business community and so many of us. The businesses that employ them, and the people of Massachusetts who benefit from their presence. In Massachusetts, they are employed in every economic sector of the state, including serving as nurses’ aides, home health workers, retail employees, warehouse workers, food service workers, drivers, cleaners, construction workers, and small-business employees. Their removal can have major compounded negative affects with the potential for lasting economic damage. Careful consideration of the economic impact in addition to everyone’s overall wellbeing is one of many considerations we urge be considered during this time,” said Bob Rivers, Executive Chair and Chair of the Board of Directors, Eastern Bankshares, Inc., and Eastern Bank.
“Massachusetts employers depend on a stable workforce to keep our economy strong and competitive. Haitian TPS holders have filled critical roles across industries for years, and we are concerned that an abrupt loss of these experienced workers would increase costs, worsen existing labor shortages and disrupt businesses across the state. We appreciate Governor Healey’s leadership in bringing attention to these impacts,” said JD Chesloff, President & CEO, Massachusetts Business Roundtable.
Healthcare organizations also expressed concern about the potential impact on patient care and long-term care services if Temporary Protected Status is not extended before its scheduled expiration.