Judge will halt Trump administration from ending humanitarian parole for people from four countries
Boston AP — normal
A federal judge said Thursday that she will prevent the Trump administration from ordering hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans with temporary legal status to leave the country later this month.
The ruling is a significant, although perhaps temporary, setback for the administration as it dismantles Biden-era policies that created new and expanded pathways for people to live in the United States, generally for two years with work authorization.
US District Judge Indira Talwani said she would issue a stay on an order for more than 500,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans to leave the country, sparing them until the case advances to the next phase. Their permits were to be canceled April 24.
During a hearing, Talwani repeatedly questioned the government’s assertion that it could end humanitarian parole for the four nationalities. She argued that immigrants in the program who are here legally now face an option of “fleeing the country” or staying and “risk losing everything.”
“The nub of the problem here is that the secretary, in cutting short the parole period afforded to these individuals, has to have a reasoned decision,” Talwani said, adding that the explanation for ending the program was “based on an incorrect reading of the law.”
“There was a deal and now that deal has been undercut,” she said later in the hearing.
Last month, the administration revoked legal protections for hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, setting them up for potential deportation in 30 days.
They arrived with financial sponsors, applying online and paying their own airfare for two-year permits to live and work in the US. During that time, the beneficiaries needed to find other legal pathways if they wanted to stay longer in the US, parole is a temporary status.
President Donald Trump has been ending legal pathways for immigrants to come to the US, implementing campaign promises to deport millions of people who are in the US illegally.
Outside court, immigration advocates, including Guerline Jozef, founder and executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said attacks on this program contradict the Trump administration’s strategy on immigration.
“We hear the narrative of people coming here illegally and the administration wanting to erase illegal immigration,” Jozef said. “But, we clearly see today that is not the case. Even those people who have legal status, are paying their taxes and working are under attack.”
Cesar Baez, an activist of the political opposition in Venezuela, said he feared for his life and left his country to come to the US under the sponsorship of a doctor. He arrived under the humanitarian parole program in December 2022, and for the last year, has been working as a producer at a media outlet in Washington.
He has applied for a working visa as another way to get legal status and has also requested asylum, but those processes have also been paused under the Trump administration.
For him, the judge’s announcement means hope.
“It is very important for me to have protections and not be removed to Venezuela,” said Baez, 24. “I have no doubt that if I set foot in the country, I would immediately be imprisoned.”
Advocates, who called the administration’s action “unprecedented,” said it would result in people losing their legal status and ability to work and argued that it violated federal rule-making.
The government’s lawyer, Brian Ward, argued in court that ending the program doesn’t mean that individuals couldn’t be considered for other immigration programs. He also said the government wouldn’t prioritize them for deportation — something Talwani found suspect, given they could be arrested if they happened to go to the hospital or were involved in a car accident.
The end of temporary protections for these immigrants has generated little political blowback among Republicans other than three Cuban-American representatives from Florida who called for preventing the deportation of the Venezuelans affected. One of them, Rep. Maria Salazar of Miami, also joined about 200 congressional Democrats this week in co-sponsoring a bill that would enable them to become lawful permanent residents.
BREAKING: President Trump says he plans to pause deportations for illegal immigrants employed in agriculture, hospitality, and other industries “where workers are needed.”
National Center of Haitian Apostolate
REFLECTIONS ON PALM SUNDAY (April 13th, 2025)
Isaiah 50, 4-7; Psalm 22; Philippians 2, 6-11; Luke 22, 14-23, 49
Msgr. Pierre André Pierre
https://youtu.be/lcA-dgF4f-w?si=cgnXJa0iVWzrmtqb
Today is Palm Sunday. It marks the first celebration of the Holy Week: The story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem with the donkey, the crowds, the coats, the branches. All four gospels featured Jesus surrounded by a large crowd shouting joyfully, Hosanna, save us, Son of David. Jesus's followers stepped out as players and protagonists in the realm of God. For the first time, they become more vocal, they are part of something bigger than themselves. They proclaim their new allegiance. They shout in public that they belong to Jesus, the Messiah. What a triumphant procession!
Palm Sunday is the doorway into the Holy Week, Jesus' final week, where Triumph and tragedy meet. We are about to relive the Hour of Jesus, the reason why he came to this world. Jesus enters Jerusalem in order to suffer, die and rise again.
This celebration is also called Passion Sunday. Pontius Pilate, to keep the peace, led another procession, a bigger and more powerful one. The higher-ups and the authorities stand against Jesus. Roman legions patrolled the streets of Jerusalem. Most people who acclaimed Jesus were expecting the Messiah. They expected him to be a Savior, a leader, a King who would give them a temporary victory and lead them to freedom over the Roman oppressors. Once they discovered that Jesus was not going to fulfill their expectations, they quickly deserted him. They stopped cheering, celebrating, and shouting Hosanna, and they began shouting: “crucify him”.
On this day of Palm and Passion Sunday, we see these two extremes: honor and praise, celebration and enthusiasm of Jesus’ followers on the one hand, opposition and fear, betrayal and death on the other. Let us not hold back from being part of the celebrations of this Holy Week that begins today: It will culminate in the Paschal Triduum: the celebrations of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday.
The Church, like the ordinary people of Jerusalem, acknowledges Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed One, sent by the Father. We will see Jesus being arrested, tortured, and brought to Calvary. We will follow up to his sacrifice on the cross. We are going to be baffled by these horrifying developments. Let us understand clearly: Is it our life that is nailed to the cross with him: it is our life with its pains, sufferings, and sins that Christ took upon himself. “It was our sins that he bore in his body on the tree.” There is no greater love than to give one's life for those we love. It is the total gift of Christ that we celebrate throughout this Holy Week. Jesus on the Cross is the “Lamb of God.” As the supreme High-Priest, He will offer his life in sacrifice for our sake. His blood will purchase our salvation. This hour of horror will open for us the fountain of life.
On Holy Thursday, let us come together to celebrate the institution of the Eucharist and hear again the proclamation of the “Mandatum” the supreme commandment of Love. The Triduum ignites “the Hour” of Jesus, including his death and resurrection. From Good Friday through Easter Vigil and the proclamation of the Resurrection, we shall relive with fervor every moment of the Hour, which has come. Join the Church’s exulting song of the Easter Alleluia!
On Easter morning, Jesus will rise from the dead. In the course of this Holy Week we will be praying with great intensity. We will discover the power of the Cross, the power of self-denial, the power of suffering, and the Victory offered to us through the blood of Jesus on the Cross. Our faith will be stirred into flame.
Haiti’s textile industry threatened by Trump’s tariffs
President Trump’s new 10% tariff on Caribbean imports deals a fresh blow to Haiti’s garment sector, already buckling under instability and shrinking U.S. trade guarantees
by The Haitian Times Apr. 08, 2025
Overview:
A 10% tariff on Caribbean imports announced by President Trump could devastate Haiti’s apparel sector—one of the last functioning parts of its economy—as Congress races to renew expiring trade benefits under HOPE and HELP.
Haiti’s apparel industry, long hanging by a thread, may soon unravel completely following President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement of a 10% tariff on all Caribbean imports. The move exacerbates Haiti’s struggling textile industry.
For nearly two decades, garment manufacturers in Haiti have benefited from HOPE (Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement) and HELP (Haiti Economic Lift Program). The trade programs, which allow for duty-free access to markets in the United States, would be directly undermined by the new tariffs.
“One especially delicate case for the CARICOM group now is Haiti, where the social and economic fabric remains under strain from political uncertainty and armed groups disrupting daily life,” Sir Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador to the United States, wrote in an op-ed published April 3.
“Imposing further tariffs on Haiti’s exports under the current circumstances, risks inhibiting the very progress the country so urgently needs. Deterioration in Haiti’s economic circumstances will only increase the Haitian impetus to seek refuge in the U.S.”
In 2023, Haiti ranked 162nd globally in exports and 153rd in imports, underscoring its fragile position in the global economy. Its top exports, primarily apparel items like knit T-shirts and sweaters, brought in $844 million from the U.S. alone, making the country heavily dependent on American demand, according to figures from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).
At the same time, Haiti imported over $1.15 billion in goods from the U.S., including refined petroleum, rice, and even cotton fabrics for its garment sector, revealing a trade imbalance and Haiti’s deep reliance on trade with the U.S.
Expiring programs
HOPE and HELP are set to expire in September 2025. U.S. lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill in February to extend the programs for another 10 years.
Supporters say the programs are crucial not only for Haiti but for American manufacturers and cotton producers who benefit from nearshoring.
“Establishing long-term stability in Haiti requires a strong foundation for economic opportunity and growth,” said Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Co-chair of the House Haiti Caucus.
“The HOPE/HELP trade preference program has played an integral role in this effort, strengthening the apparel sector and creating jobs throughout the country. We must reauthorize HOPE/HELP immediately in order to help the U.S. economy and reaffirm our commitment to Haiti’s security and prosperity.”
Some trade experts warn that without an extension of HOPE and HELP, Haiti could lose one of the last functioning sectors of its formal economy.
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“The apparel industry is the backbone of Haiti’s formal economy,” Maulik Radia, president of the Association des Industries d’Haïti (ADIH), said in a statement. “Without the immediate reauthorization of this program, Haiti will experience further job losses in the apparel sector.”
According to ADIH, Haiti has lost 40,000 jobs in the apparel industry, shrinking from a peak of 60,000 jobs to just over 20,000. The majority of the jobs in Haiti’s textile sector are in the north and east of Haiti, away from the violence and instability in Port-au-Prince and Haiti’s south.
“While the new tariffs, announced by President Trump on April 3, will raise the cost of CARICOM products in the United States – and very likely reduce exports and revenues for already challenged Caribbean economies – American consumers will also feel the effects,” said Sanders.
”Increases in duty rates often translate to higher prices on store shelves. Thus, while Caribbean exporters lose potential income, U.S. buyers face higher costs.”
An ‘America First’ plan to prevent Haiti’s collapse | Opinion
Austin Holmes - April 8, 2025 1:40 PM
Fed up with surging gang violence, thousands of Haitians took to the streets of Port-au-Prince on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 to protest against armed gangs and demand the resignation of Haiti’s transitional authorities. The demonstration was one of the biggest in recent years. Johnny Fils-Aimé For the Miami Herald
From President Donald Trump’s attention to the Middle East, the Panama Canal, the Russia-Ukraine war, plus U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s travel throughout the Americas, this administration clearly understands that U.S. interests — including border security — depend on what happens in our backyard.
That is why the administration must act quickly to break from former President Joe Biden’s failed approach to Haiti and prevent a dangerous collapse unfolding just 700 miles from South Florida’s coast.
Haiti is no longer just an unfortunate humanitarian crisis — it is a rapidly escalating regional security threat. In just the last few weeks, Kenya’s security forces have suffered their first casualties. Gangs have seized armored troop carriers from Haitian police. Significant ground has been lost in and around the capital Port-au-Prince and gangs have opened fire on helicopters over the city.
Mirebalais — once a peaceful mountain refuge for families fleeing violence in Haiti — is now slipping under gang rule as well. Roads have been overtaken, kidnappings and extortion are surging, and the tactics used to cripple Port-au-Prince are expanding into new territory. The country is unraveling at breakneck speed.
Calculated efforts by the Haitian National Police, including drone strikes and tactical offensives, have proven largely fruitless. The gangs remain emboldened. The state is losing its grip. Violence is escalating.
This is not some noble ideological uprising. These gangs are foreign-funded, criminally trained and driven by profit. They are not philosophers or revolutionaries — they are narco-terrorists whose goal is to turn Haiti into a trafficking hub sending narcotics into the U.S.
Dimitri Herard, a former police official linked to the assassination in 2021 of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse, is now positioning himself as a nationalist leader. But Herard is no freedom fighter— he’s one of the architects behind the arming and training of these networks of gangs. His ambition is clear: convert gang violence into political power. Herard and other gang leaders have allegedly raped, murdered and extorted their way to personal dominance — and they’ve ignited a full-fledged fire just a stone’s throw from U.S. shores.
The Biden-Harris approach to Haiti — defined by disengagement — utterly failed. On the current path, murders and kidnappings will rise. Gang territory will expand. Phony elections will be staged. Foreign actors — particularly China — will invest in infrastructure and resources, turning Haiti into a narco-state governed by proxies and beholden to adversarial interests. America’s national security and borders will bear the consequences.
The last thing Haiti needs is another failed aid campaign or American boots on the ground. What Haiti needs is U.S. support for credible Haitian and Haitian-American partners to prepare to fight for their country’s freedom. These include trusted private-sector leaders, former law enforcement officials and military veterans with the experience and local relationships to reclaim ground, secure infrastructure, and restore order.
It is no longer a question of if Haiti falls — but when and how deep the collapse will be. Swift action now to contain the fallout will pay significant America First dividends down the road.
More than one million Haitians are already internally displaced. Likely twice that number have fled. Tens of thousands more are seeking refuge across borders — many illegally.
Imagine the consequence of complete government collapse in Haiti. I believe Haiti will become a trafficking superhighway into the U.S., a nearby narco-state aligned with foreign adversaries and a humanitarian catastrophe that destabilizes the region, overwhelms our neighbors and triggers another refugee crisis at our border.
This scenario is not hypothetical. It’s already happening.
The window to act is closing. But there is still time. With urgency, clarity and resolve, the administration can empower brave Haitians to reclaim their nation, prevent total collapse and protect the American people from becoming collateral damage.
Austin Holmes, a Florida native and former Haitian resident, has experience directing high-stakes humanitarian efforts, crisis management operations and disaster response efforts in Haiti and the Caribbean. He coordinated relief efforts for over 750,000 Haitians after Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article303726556.html