Past the Cat Memes
Mass Migrations and Haitians
“They’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats,” was the quote that launched a million memes, TikTok dances, and song remixes. The claim that Haitian migrants in Ohio were eating people’s pets has driven a large part of the entire conversation regarding immigration, much to the detriment of the American people.
The media pounced on the fact that there are no credible claims of Haitians eating people’s pets. That does not mean the influx of Haitians has been a net benefit for the town of Springfield or the United States, despite claims by the media and some business owners that it’s been a massive boom to the town’s economy.
First, why Haitians are here legally>
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was created in 1990 to offer legal migrants in the U.S. the ability to stay in the country regardless of their visa expiration date because their country had become too war-torn or dangerous. TPS was intended to be a temporary program for migrants whose home countries were in disarray.
Migrants from countries like Rwanda (which had TPS from June 1995 to December 1997) and Kuwait (March 1991 to March 1992) have qualified for a brief period of time. Other countries like Bosnia, Angola, Burundi, Guinea, Kosovo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have all briefly had TPS for a short period.
Every country’s TPS designated expires no later than March 2026.
Here’s which presidents have offered TPS to which countries:
HW Bush: Somalia (1991)
Clinton: Hondarus (1999) and Nicaruaga (1999)
Bush: El Salvador (2001)
Obama: Haiti (2011), Nepal (2015), South Sudan (2016), Sudan (2013), Syria (2012), and Yemen (2015)
Trump: Afghanistan (2022), Cameroon (2022), Ethiopia (2022), Myanmar (2024), Ukraine (2022), and Venezuela (2023).
Biden: Lebanon (2024)
In 2017, Trump abolished TPS for Guinea and Liberia and tried to end it for the 59,000 Haitians living in the U.S. However, it was held up in courts, and Biden decided to extend the program to 200,000 Haitians.
Along with extending TPS, Biden made it easier for Haitians to come to the U.S. with the CBP One visa, which proved to be riddled with fraud.