On January 12, 2010, a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti, destroying its capital, Port-au-Prince. As the humanitarian response picked up, concern turned to Haitian nationals currently in the U.S. awaiting deportation and to Haitian children in the process of being adopted by U.S. citizens. Within a week, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State had halted deportations offering Temporary Protected Status to Haitians already in the U.S.

and announced a new humanitarian parole policy allowing Haitian orphans to enter the United States temporarily.

USCIS Updates Information for Adoptive Parents of Paroled Haitian Orphans
February 24, 2010
USCIS continues to support adoptive parents and prospective adoptive parents of Haiti orphans with information on determining the next steps for obtaining LPR status for their children.

USCIS Response to Haiti Earthquake
January 21, 2010
The role of USCIS is integral to the Department of Homeland's Security's efforts to support Haiti's recovery. The agency must quickly respond to changes in immigration policy to assist Haitian nationals already in the United States as well as those with pending immigration applications such as the orphaned Haitian children who were already in the process of being adopted by U.S. citizens.

Haitian Orphans Receive Humanitarian Parole
January 20, 2010
Even before the January 12th earthquake, Haiti was overrun by orphans--the number reportedly around 380,000. The devastation only added tens of thousands of children orphaned or separated from family.

Homeland Security and the Department of State viewed these children as one of their top priorities, and on January 18th, announced a humanitarian parole policy to expedite the movement of children who had previously been identified as orphans with potential parents in the United States into our country.

Napolitano Announces Temporary Protected Status For Haitian Nationals
January 15, 2010
Within a few days of the devastation that hit Haiti, Homeland Security provided a Temporary Protected Status designation allowing eligible Haitian nationals in the United States to continue living and working in the country for 18 months.

Members of Congress Call For Haiti Temporary Protected Status
January 15, 2010
Over 80 members of the House of Representatives joined the call for Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals in the United States, sending a letter directly to President Obama.

Haitian Deportations Halted, Advocates Call For Additional Protection
January 13, 2010
The day after the earthquake hit Haiti, the Department of Homeland Security immediately halted all removals to Haiti, but this action wasn't strong enough for many. Advocates began to pressure the Administration to provide Temporary Protected Status to Haitians already in the United States.