Congressman Carlos A. Gimenez released a statement on Apr. 16 following the passage of H.R. 1689, which requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
The legislation addresses ongoing violence and instability in Haiti, which has raised concerns about the safety and well-being of Haitian migrants in the United States.
Gimenez said, “I’ve built my record on putting our community first and working across the aisle to get things done. I’m proud of my bipartisan track record—because doing what’s right shouldn’t be about politics, it should be about people.” He continued, “Haitian migrants are not strangers—they are our neighbors, our coworkers, and part of the fabric of our community.” Gimenez added that current conditions in Haiti make it unsafe for people to return: “Haiti today is overrun by violent gangs. It is neither safe nor humane to force our neighbors back into those conditions. Providing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is not just sound policy—it’s the right thing to do and I’m proud to vote for this commonsense, bipartisan solution that ensures our Haitian neighbors can continue contributing to our community.”
Carlos Gimenez currently serves in Congress representing Florida’s 28th district after replacing Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in 2021 according to public records. He has held his seat since then and previously served both in the Florida House of Representatives and on the Miami-Dade County Commission from 2005 through 2011 as reported by official sources.
Gimenez was born in Havana, Cuba in 1954 and now lives in Miami according to biographical information available publicly. He graduated from Barry University with a Bachelor of Public Administration degree in 1999.
The decision regarding TPS for Haitians comes amid heightened attention on humanitarian needs related to violence abroad and reflects ongoing discussions within Congress about immigration policy.
