Official Statement on the Supreme Court Ruling Revoking TPS for Haitian and Syrian People

The Boston Women’s Fund is furiously devastated by the Supreme Court’s ruling to revoke the Temporary Protected Status of Haitian and Syrian people in the U.S., jeopardizing the well-being, safety, and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people.

Our state is home to over 15,000 Haitian people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Many fled the devastating earthquake in 2010 or violence that left them fearing for their lives and the safety of their families. For decades, Haitian TPS holders have started businesses, pursued flourishing careers, raised children who are American citizens, helped neighbors, supported friends, and been active community members. They have lived lives that reflect the best of what we hope the United States can be, a nation made strong by people who were not from this soil, built by people who left everything behind, and made stronger and more beautiful by the richness of a society collaged with many cultures.

But that picture is not what the Supreme Court has come to defend. This ruling is only the latest in a series of actions by the administration that disenfranchise and target people of color. Over the past year and a half, we have watched each veiled attack unfold, and each time, we wonder, who will be next?

This is not a story solely about Haitian people. We know that oppressors make their way through the most vulnerable communities first. History has shown us this time and again. Massachusetts has the second-largest Haitian population in the country. The ruling makes thousands vulnerable to deportation and invalidates their work permits. This cruelty will undeniably push many into hiding and tear families apart. Earlier this year, organizations serving the Haitian community reported that many Haitian workers had stopped clocking in for work, for fear of being deported. We can only anticipate that these numbers will grow.

Thousands will live each day wondering if it will be their last alongside their families and loved ones, in the place that they call home, in the place where they feel most safe. We don’t know what future awaits Haitian TPS holders or how many will be deported, but we do know they will have to live out every day until then with a fear many of us can not comprehend, and with access to their livelihoods threatened.

Somehow, philanthropic giving has become laced with fear. The numbers nationwide show a chilling effect on giving to vulnerable communities that can’t be separated from this administration’s discrimination and cruelty. But what about the families who aren’t allowed to earn a paycheck but still need a roof over their heads and a meal on the table? What about the mother whose spouse was deported and needs legal counsel? What about the girls who are left behind? Nonprofit organizations will be their lifeline. Community care and grassroots action save lives.

We at Boston Women’s Fund don’t claim to have all the answers. But we refuse to continue with business as usual in the midst of yet more terrifying, infuriating reminders that our government takes little pause in legalizing new pathways to terrorize people of color. When will we as a society put the humanity of all people before politics? What will the people of Massachusetts lose when our Haitian community and its brilliance are removed right before our eyes? We are connecting with local organizations to learn how we can best support Haitian TPS holders and their families in this moment. We invite you to consider how you can show up for Haitian people in your neighborhood, your workplace, your place of worship, and your community. Because there is nothing individual or isolated about racism or displacement. If left unchecked, this tide will rush us all.

In Solidarity,

Natanja Craig Oquendo

CEO, Boston Women's Fund