Moulton Participates in Field Hearing on TPS for Haiti, Stands with Massachusetts Haitian Community

MATTAPAN, MA - Today, Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06) joined a field hearing focused on the urgent need to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals, whose current protections are set to expire on February 3, 2026.

The hearing, held at Jubilee Christian Church in Mattapan, highlighted the deep contributions of Haitian immigrants to Massachusetts communities and the harm that ending TPS would inflict on families, workers, and local economies.

"Hearing directly from Haitian families and community advocates today made clear just how devastating the Trump Administration's decision to end TPS for Haitian immigrants would be," said Congressman Moulton. "Deporting people back to a country facing extreme violence and instability like Haiti is both cruel and reckless. I look forward to working with my colleagues to protect TPS and ensure that Haitian immigrants can continue to live and work safely in our communities without fear of deportation."

The hearing was hosted by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). Multiple organizations participated as well, including: Immigrant & Family Services Institute - USA; Everett Haitian Community Center; Association of Haitian Women in Boston; Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti; Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition; National TPS Alliance; Massachusetts TPS Committee; American Business Immigration Coalition; Massachusetts Restaurants United; Laurel Ridge Rehabilitation & Skilled Care Center; LeadingAge Massachusetts; National Domestic Workers Alliance; SEIU 32BJ; SEIU 1199.

"This field hearing has made clear that terminating TPS for Haiti would be a death sentence for thousands of families living in Massachusetts and across our country, and devastating to the communities they enrich," said Congresswoman Pressley. "Haitians who have built their lives here and contributed to the Massachusetts 7th community for years are at risk of deportation to a country that remains entrenched in political, economic, and humanitarian turmoil. We should be doing everything we can to save lives and protect our neighbors, not tearing them away from their home and sending them to danger. While Trump demonizes immigrant families and begins his second year in office, I'll continue standing with our Haitian neighbors, affirming that they belong, and pushing back against Trump's harmful anti-immigrant agenda."

"Haitian TPS holders are deeply rooted in our Massachusetts communities. They are our friends, our family members, our neighbors, our colleagues," said Senator Markey. "The termination of Haiti TPS would be an abdication of the American promise as a land of freedom and a betrayal to the Haitian community, and we must not let it happen. I am proud to stand with Representative Pressley and the Haitian community every single day to organize, demand change, and keep fighting for Haiti TPS."

"The human consequences are already devastating our communities. We have seen deportations of Venezuelan community members, and heartbreaking deaths tied to the loss of TPS-a Honduran TPS holder died in immigration detention last Jan 4th, and here in Massachusetts a Honduran woman died after losing her TPS protections and could not continue her cancer treatment because she lost her healthcare protection due to the TPS cancelation. With the termination of TPS protections for Haiti set for February 3, 2026, we are warning everyone of a humanitarian and economic crisis this will create. More than one million people will be left unprotected, impacting not only TPS families, but also the stability of the economy of this country. Our lives are not temporary," said Doris Landaverde, Coordinator of Mass TPS Committee.

"Terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the half a million Haitians who call the United States home is unconscionable and inhumane. These individuals, many of whom now call Boston and parts of Massachusetts home, have fled unimaginable violence and government instability for a better life, with thousands building those new lives in Massachusetts," said Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the MIRA Coalition."Ending TPS for Haitians will strip legal status away from our neighbors, friends, family and coworkers, forcing them into an extremely dangerous situation where they could face deportation."

"The American Business Immigration Coalition, along with the 'Care for Seniors, Care for America' campaign, calls on the public and the administration to acknowledge the impact TPS terminations would have on everyday Americans. Immigrants are the backbone of the care industry, comprising one in four long-term care workers and over 30% of nursing home support roles. To address this, we call for stable work permits: Congress should create reliable, long-term pathways for law-abiding, qualified immigrants who have contributed to our economy for years. We must protect the 'Circle of Care' by maintaining the legal ability to work for current caregivers, avoiding disruptions to the vital bonds between seniors and their providers. We can-and must-secure both our borders and our workforce to ensure a prosperous American future," said Luis Zaldivar of the American Business Immigration Coalition.

"Ending Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals and individuals from other TPS-designated countries will have serious consequences for older adults and their families. This policy change comes at a critical moment, as long-term demographic trends driven by population aging are rapidly increasing the number of people who require ongoing care and support. Foreign-born workers are an invaluable component of the aging services workforce in Massachusetts and nationwide. Immigration policy should be leveraged to support essential workers, strengthen critical services, and address well-documented labor gaps. Terminating TPS and further restricting lawful employment runs counter to those goals. These actions will deepen workforce challenges and, by limiting older adults' access to much-needed care and services, jeopardize their health and well-being," said Elissa Sherman, President, LeadingAge Massachusetts.

"Hundreds of American senior citizens in the city of Everett and greater Boston of all races who are receiving much needed home health aide assistance from hardworking dedicated workers-taxpayers who graduated from ESOL and workforce training programs as well as the approximately 1,842 voiceless Haitian babies, children, senior citizens, adults, families and youths who arrived 15 years ago on TPS, excelling in sports and other areas important to our local U.S. economic infrastructure will be terribly impacted by the suspensions of TPS. The US is better than that. The US can do better than that-creating a pathway for these TPS holders to have their green cards and citizenship is more a sensible and responsible immigration policy. As a Christian nation, Scripture teaches us: 'I was a stranger and you invited me in.' - Matthew 25:35. Let's invite people to the fold-not persecuting and deporting them," said Rev. Dr. Myrlande DesRosiers Senior pastor and Director at EHCC.

"The decision of President Trump to not renew TPS is a horrific blow to the Haitians and Haitian-Americans that puts an entire community at risk on many fronts: economically, socially, psychologically and physically! Many families and individuals with TPS experience real fear and anxiety, not knowing what their fate is or will be. When you talk about the social determinants of health, fear, anxiety, lack of access to services play a significant role in people's mental health and eventually their physical health. They may end up in the hospital with various health issues," said Rev. Dr. Eno Mondésir, Senior Pastor of a predominantly Haitian congregation in the United States.

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