Many of those on Temporary Protected Status, also known as TPS, who have lived with it for years, are facing a fear that is closer to becoming a reality. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump Administration to revoke protected status for some 350,000 Haitian nationals and about 6 ,000 Syrians living in the United States. On Friday, a day after the blockbuster decision, community leaders, elected officials, and those who work on behalf of people with TPS gathered in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood to condemn the high court and offer support for those facing the threat of deportation. “We are gathered here, in a crucial moment in our community’s trajectory,” said a Family Action Network Movement speaker. Farah Larrieux, a Haitian woman who is a TPS recipient, has called South Florida home for decades, but now finds her life in limbo after the Supreme Court decision. “Today I stand before you with a heavy heart, filled with anxiety and profound disappointment,” said Larrieux. Larrieux has lived in the United States for more than 20 years. “If I go back to Haiti, it’s a death sentence,” said Larrieux. Larrieux faces the possibility of being sent back to a country that many agree isn’t safe and isn’t equipped to take the hundreds of thousands potentially affected. At the event, mayors across South Florida shared their thoughts on the decision. “Our Haitian-American community is part of us; we are so proud of the Haitians who call Miami home, South Florida, the United States home. They are our working men and women, they are our business owners, they create jobs, they are fueling our basic industries,” said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava of Miami-Dade County. “We respect the rule of law, but we cannot ignore the inhumane and the impact this decision will have on families throughout this community,” said Mayor Alix Desulme of the City of North Miami. The fear among Haitians in South Florida is palpable. “Six conservative Supreme Court justices have echoed the Trump Administration’s message that black immigrants are not welcome here,” said Larrieux. “Because conditions are there for that, we’ll be targeted; they’ll kidnap us because they’ll see a way to maintain their terrorist agenda.” Those who gathered on Friday are urged to call their representatives to support them in Congress to provide long-term protection for those with TPS. According to Larrieux, she consulted with her lawyer and applied for asylum. ...read more read less