Lowey Statement on Eight Year Anniversary of Haiti Earthquake and Trump Remarks

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY17/Rockland-Westchester), Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on the eighth anniversary of the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. Lowey delivered remarks at a vigil at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Spring Valley to commemorate the anniversary.

“As each year passes, we must always pause on this date to remember the more than 200,000 victims of this devastating earthquake. Sharing close people-to-people ties, the U.S. and Haiti have consistently stood shoulder-to-shoulder. I am proud of our efforts to help our island neighbor recover and rebuild.

“As Ranking Member of the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, I am deeply committed to continuing U.S. support for Haiti’s reconstruction. Much progress has been made in the last eight years, and we look forward to further growth of Haiti’s democratic process and rule of law.

“Finally, I must address President Trump’s disgusting remarks yesterday about Haiti and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which are a horrifying reminder of the divisiveness that still plagues our country and that is routinely stoked by the president and the administration. It is clear this administration is completely out of touch with the importance of TPS to our community, and I condemn his comments in the strongest terms.

“Despite Haiti’s progress, much work is left to restore Haiti’s economy, end the ongoing cholera epidemic, and strengthen its democratic governance. President Trump’s misguided decision in November to end TPS for Haitians living in the U.S. is unconscionable. I urge the administration to reconsider its decision, which will ultimately hurt Haiti’s development and rip families apart. I will do everything I can to ensure that as we address immigration priorities in the coming weeks and months, we preserve TPS for communities who have lawfully relied on it for decades.”