Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced on today that the Department of Homeland Security would extend Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) for Haitians currently residing in the United States.  The extension of TPS will allow the approximately 48,000 Haitian nationals with TPS residing in the US to remain in the country an additional 18 months through January 22, 2013.  This is a very relieving development for all current Haitian US citizens who reside here legally under TPS.

DHS’s compassionate and humane response to the victims of the earthquakes in Haiti is evidence of the ability of the Executive branch to fix our broken immigration system.  Immigration reform, though necessary, can be implemented in a responsible manner.