I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2592 
To designate Haiti under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act in order to render nationals of Haiti eligible for temporary protected 
status under such section. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 24, 2005 
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. CON-
YERS, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. WEXLER, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. 
DELAHUNT, and Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To designate Haiti under section 244 of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act in order to render nationals of Haiti 
eligible for temporary protected status under such sec-
tion. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Haiti Compassion 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Haiti remains severely devastated by the 
combined effects of ongoing political turmoil and the 
aftermath of the natural disasters of 2004, such as 
Tropical Storm Jeanne and Hurricane Ivan. 
(2) In Haiti, more than 2,500 people died as a 
result of Tropical Storm Jeanne in 2004. 
(3) The civil protection agency of Haiti stated 
that 250,000 people were homeless across the coun-
try and at least 4,000 homes were destroyed, with 
thousands more damaged, as a result of the storm. 
(4) When Tropical Storm Jeanne hit, Haiti was 
already struggling to deal with political instability 
and the aftermath of serious floods that occurred in 
May 2004. 
(5) More than a year after the abrupt depar-
ture of former President Aristide, the political, secu-
rity, and social-economic situation in Haiti remains 
in crisis, the transitional government is weak and 
fighting to maintain credibility, and there are no 
clear signs of either political reconciliation or eco-
nomic reconstruction. 
(6) On Wednesday March 9, 2005, the United 
Nations Security Council pressed Haiti’s government 
to crack down on human rights abuses and free po-
litical prisoners to help heal the country ahead of 
November elections. 
(7) Political oppression and human rights viola-
tions are rife in Haiti while many supporters of the 
opposition are unjustly held in prison or experi-
encing persecution. 
(8) On March 11, 2005, the Department of 
State issued a travel warning to United States citi-
zens warning them of the ‘‘absence of an effective 
police force in much of Haiti; the potential for 
looting; the presence of intermittent roadblocks set 
by armed gangs or by the police; and the possibility 
of random violent crime, including kidnapping, 
carjacking, and assault.’’ 
(9) The Department of State’s Consular Infor-
mation Sheet states ‘‘there are no ‘safe areas’ in 
Haiti.’’ As a result, ‘‘United States citizens should 
avoid travel to Haiti at this time.’’ 
(10) While current United States policy is to 
advise its own citizens not to travel to Haiti, it is 
unjust to return Haitian nationals to this type of 
dangerous situation. 
(11) To return a national back to Haiti, where 
there is ongoing violence and a devastating environ-
mental situation, would pose a serious threat to the 
personal safety of such individual. 
(12) The political, civil, and governmental crisis 
and extraordinary and temporary conditions caused 
by nature and resulting in floods, epidemics, and 
other environmental disasters in Haiti should make 
Haitian nationals eligible for temporary protected 
status. 
(13) There is a history of discrimination and 
mistreatment of Haitians in the immigration proc-
ess. 
(14) Temporary protected status allows aliens 
who do not legally qualify as refugees but are none-
theless fleeing or reluctant to return to potentially 
dangerous situations to temporarily remain in the 
United States. 
(15) Granting temporary protected status to 
nationals of Haiti is consistent with the interest of 
the United States and promotes the values and mor-
als that have made the United States strong. 
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION FOR PURPOSES OF GRANTING TEM-
PORARY PROTECTED STATUS TO HAITIANS. 
(a) DESIGNATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of section 244 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1254a), Haiti shall be treated as if such country had 
been designated under subsection (b) of that section, 
subject to the provisions of this section. 
(2) PERIOD OF DESIGNATION.—The initial pe-
riod of such designation shall begin on the date of 
enactment of this Act and shall remain in effect for 
18 months. 
(b) ALIENS ELIGIBLE.—In applying section 244 of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a) 
pursuant to the designation made under this section, and 
subject to subsection (c)(3) of such section, an alien who 
is a national of Haiti is deemed to meet the requirements 
of subsection (c)(1) of such section only if the alien— 
(1) is admissible as an immigrant, except as 
otherwise provided under subsection (c)(2)(A) of 
such section, and is not ineligible for temporary pro-
tected status under subsection (c)(2)(B) of such sec-
tion; and 
(2) registers for temporary protected status in 
a manner that the Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall establish. 
(c) CONSENT TO TRAVEL ABROAD.—The Secretary 
of Homeland Security shall give the prior consent to travel 
abroad described in section 244(f)(3) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a(f)(3)) to an alien
who is granted temporary protected status pursuant to the 
designation made under this section, if the alien estab-
lishes to the satisfaction of the Secretary of Homeland Se-
curity that emergency and extenuating circumstances be-
yond the control of the alien require the alien to depart 
for a brief, temporary trip abroad. An alien returning to 
the United States in accordance with such an authoriza-
tion shall be treated the same as any other returning alien 
provided temporary protected status under section 244 of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a). 
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