Bill Text: NJ AR68 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Memorializes Congress to enact "Haitian Protection Act of 2009" granting temporary protected status to qualified Haitian nationals in United States.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-03-04 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State Government Committee [AR68 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-AR68-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
Assemblywoman BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN
District 15 (Mercer)
Assemblywoman L. GRACE SPENCER
District 29 (Essex and Union)
Assemblywoman MILA M. JASEY
District 27 (Essex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Cryan
SYNOPSIS
Memorializes Congress to enact "Haitian Protection Act of 2009" granting temporary protected status to qualified Haitian nationals in the United States.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution memorializing Congress to expeditiously enact H.R.144, the "Haitian Protection Act of 2009," to grant temporary protected status to qualifying Haitian nationals in the United States.
Whereas, The United States has a long history of providing shelter and support to people from around the world who, for reasons beyond their control, cannot return home; and
Whereas, On January 12, 2010, a massive earthquake struck Haiti, leveling its capital city and leaving as many as 100,000 people feared dead in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere; and
Whereas, This catastrophic earthquake has added immensely to the enormous human suffering Haiti has experienced in recent years from near-constant political upheaval, an ongoing food crisis that led to deadly riots and the removal of the country's Prime Minister, untold devastation from deforestation and over-farming, environmental degradation, and the aftermath of many natural disasters including tropical storms and hurricanes; and
Whereas, Despite popular support for President Rene Preval, the Haitian government's ability to provide basic services, such as clean water, education, passable roads and basic healthcare, has been severely compromised by natural disasters, food crises, and political and civil crises and further compounded by the recent earthquake; and
Whereas, Temporary protected status under United States immigration law grants temporary protection from deportation to nationals of a country in which environmental or political events have occurred that make it temporarily unsafe to deport them; and
Whereas, President Preval has made requests of the United States for temporary protected status to make Haitians currently in the United States eligible for temporary protective status under subparagraph (b) of section 244(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act because Haiti is no longer able to receive the deported individuals that the United States sends to Haiti; and
Whereas, United States policy advises Americans that current conditions make it unsafe to travel to Haiti and the same conditions make it dangerous and inappropriate to forcibly repatriate Haitians at this time; and
Whereas, H.R.144, the "Haitian Protection Act of 2009," pending before Congress, requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant temporary protected status to qualified Haitian nationals in the United States; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Congress of the United States is respectfully memorialized to expeditiously enact H.R.144, the "Haitian Protection Act of 2009," to designate Haiti under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act in order to render Haitian nationals in the United States eligible for temporary protected status under that section.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Majority and Minority leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, each member of the United States Congress elected from this State, and to the United States Ambassador to Haiti.
STATEMENT
This assembly resolution memorializes the United States Congress to enact H.R.144, the "Haitian Protection Act of 2009," to grant temporary protected status to qualifying Haitian nationals in the United States.
On January 12, 2010 a massive earthquake struck Haiti, leveling its capital city of Port-au-Prince and leaving more than 100,000 people feared dead in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. This catastrophic earthquake has added immensely to the enormous human suffering Haiti has experienced in recent years due to political upheaval, an ongoing food crisis that led to deadly riots and the removal of the country's Prime Minister, the devastation of deforestation and over-farming, environmental degradation, and the aftermath of many natural disasters in 2008 from tropical storms to hurricanes. The ability of the Haitian government to provide basic services, such as clean water, education, passable roads and basic healthcare, has been severely compromised by these crises.
Temporary protected status grants temporary protection from deportation to nationals of a country in which environmental or political events have occurred which make it temporarily unsafe to deport them. Haitian President Rene Preval has made requests of the United States for temporary protected status for eligible Haitians currently in the United States because Haiti is no longer able to receive the deported individuals that the United States sends to Haiti.
