12 MAY 2021
Congress Must Protect Essential Immigrant Workers; Renew TPS for Haiti
The Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety will hold a hearing today entitled, “The Essential Role of Immigrant Workers in America.” The hearing, chaired by Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), will take a closer look at the stories of immigrant essential workers who not only helped keep our country moving amid the pandemic but also continue their work to help fuel the country’s economic recovery.
Witnesses testifying before the subcommittee include Bruce Goldstein, President of Farmworker Justice, Dr. Tom Wong, Founding Director Of The U.S. Immigration Policy Center (USIPC) University Of California, San Diego, and Rose Tilus, a nurse and Haitian immigrant currently living in the US with temporary protected status (TPS). The hearing comes as advocates continue to call on Congress to pass critical legislation to establish a pathway to citizenship and permanently protect Dreamers, TPS holders, farmworkers and other undocumented immigrants who have been deemed as essential workers over the last year.
For immigrants such as Rose Tilus, the hearing also underscores the experience of Haitian TPS holders, whose fate hangs in the balance after court injunctions blocked Trump’s termination of TPS. Rose has fought COVID on the frontlines and wants to become a U.S. citizen but there is no pathway until Congress passes the Dream and Promise Act.
Meet Rose Tilus: Frontline Health Care Worker; Rhode Island Resident; Haitian TPS Holder.
Unafraid of Risking Life for Patients; Lives in Constant Fear of Losing TPS Status
Rose was just 17 years old when she arrived in the United States from Haiti over 20 years ago. Out of despair and in search of hope, Rose left her parents and her sisters behind to live with family in the United States. Following the devastating earthquake in 2010, Haiti was designated for Temporary Protected Status and Rose was able to obtain a work permit and attend school, earning a Bachelors and a Masters degree and achieving her dream of becoming a nurse.
Since COVID-19 hit America, Rose has served on the frontlines both as a registered nurse and as a nurse practitioner, risking her life each day to save others, even contracting COVID-19 in the process. Rose says she’s used her life journey for strength and resilience and to offer hope to her patients. She is proud of the contributions she’s made to America.
Rose describes herself as unafraid to put her life on the line for her patients; her only fear comes from a constant worry of deportation or discontinuation of her Temporary Protected Status.
“Having TPS has given me a life that I am so thankful for; however, TPS does not grant me permanent protections that I need to remain with my loved ones, my patients and in my community.” — Rose Michelle Tilus
Rose’s story, bravery, and activism sheds a light on the dire need for Congress and the Biden Administration to create a pathway to citizenship for frontline workers who, as Rose puts it, have “played a vital role in the fight against the COVID pandemic whether it is in the food chain, cleaning staffing or in health care settings.”
“As we continue to deal with the challenges of COVID-19, our work will continue to remain essential in rebuilding and strengthening our communities. Now we are asking Congress to recognize these contributions and give us the opportunity to be recognized as full members of the American family.” — Rose Michelle Tilus
The Biden administration has a chance to alleviate the fear that Rose constantly feels as a Haitian TPS holder by redesignating Haitians for TPS status. The administration must act now for Rose, for her patients, for the 55,000 Haiti TPS holders and their innumerable contributions to America.
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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.