Dr. Barth Green on Haiti's TPS Termination and Humanitarian Crisis

Termination of Haitian TPS

• 📌 The abrupt end to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians in the U.S. affects approximately 340,000 people, many in South Florida, making them deportable by February 4th.
• ⚠️ DHS Secretary Christy Gnome's memo states there are no extraordinary conditions in Haiti preventing safe return, a decision mirrored from the termination of Venezuelan TPS.

Haiti's Unsafe Conditions

• ✈️ Dr. Barth Green, co-founder of Project Medishare, refutes the DHS assessment, stating Haiti is unsafe according to the FAA and the American government, with the national airport closed due to violence.
• 🚨 He highlights daily kidnappings and murders in a country dominated by gangs, not democracy or justice, making return unsafe.
• 🏥 Project Medishare's trauma center, the only one in Haiti, was destroyed by gangs six months prior, displacing thousands of healthcare workers.

Economic Impact on Florida

• 💼 Florida's economy, particularly in agriculture, tourism, restaurants, hotels, and hospitals, relies heavily on Haitian workers, many of whom have TPS.
• 📉 Removing these workers could negatively impact the state's economy and industries.

The Role of Gangs in Haiti

• 👥 Gangs in Haiti are described as more political and organized than street gangs, controlling major population areas, the border with the Dominican Republic, and the port.
• 🧩 Gang members, often teenagers, are driven by a lack of food, school, and job opportunities, leading them to serve gangs.

Humanitarian and Practical Concerns

• 💔 Sending TPS-eligible Haitians back to Haiti is not considered a humanitarian move due to the violent and unstable environment.
• ✈️ The lack of airport capacity in Haiti makes deporting hundreds of thousands of people logistically impossible in the short term.
• 💡 Dr. Green suggests extending TPS and working with Haiti to create a safe, democratic environment with basic infrastructure (work, food, water, electricity, schools) before return is feasible.
• 🏥 He personally feels unsafe traveling to Haiti, recalling an instance where gangs took over and later burned down a hospital his organization supported.