Advocates with We Are CASA rallied in Harrisburg after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of revoking temporary legal status for Haitian and Syrian immigrants.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — With the legal status of thousands of immigrants now in limbo, advocates in Harrisburg are standing up for their friends and neighbors.

“People are very scared about what the next step means for them,” said Kim Propeack, the chief strategy officer for We Are CASA.

On Thursday, members of We Are CASA gathered outside of Strawberry Square to ask Senator John Fetterman and Senator Dave McCormick to protect Haitian and Syrian immigrants in the United States. This comes after a Supreme Court decision allowed the Trump Administration to revoke Temporary Protected Status for more than 350,000 people from those two countries.



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Advocates are calling on Fetterman and McCormick to support the SECURE Act and Senate Bill 4814, which would allow qualified TPS holders to apply for permanent residency and extend Haitian TPS status until 2029.

“People are here to stay because immigrants are part of our society and our country,” said Mirna Miranda, the organizing director for We Are CASA.

Miranda argued that the ruling would negatively impact Pennsylvania’s economy by taking away the livelihoods of 15,000 Haitian immigrants in the state.

“Our Haitian community are basically homeowners, they’re business owners and they’re like a lot of people that work hard. They work really, really hard,” Miranda said.

Propeack, meanwhile, criticized the ruling for putting people in danger, adding that thousands of people were granted TPS status to escape natural disasters and political instability in countries like Haiti.

“The United States will not let its own personnel travel to Haiti. They have ordered Americans to leave Haiti, and the Trump administration has argued that it’s safe for Haitians to go home. It’s really outrageous,” she said.

We Are CASA members gave FOX43 a letter from a Haitian immigrant living in York telling her experience with the TPS program. In it, she asked lawmakers for the opportunity to continue contributing to the U.S.

“This is where I found work. This is where I built my business and friendships. This is where I watched my child grow, attend school and dream big. They know no other home,” the letter read.

FOX43 reached out to Senator Fetterman and Senator McCormick to discuss the two pieces of legislation. At this time, we have not heard back.