Thursday, October 1, 2026
Congresswoman Laura Gillen announced that her legislation to extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitians for three years has garnered the bipartisan support necessary to force a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I’m proud that my bill to extend TPS for Haitian Americans now has the bipartisan support needed to force a vote on this dire issue in Congress,” Gillen said. “Thank you to my colleagues, Representatives Lawler and Pressley, for their efforts to advance this legislation. Since taking office, I have fought tirelessly to extend TPS for Haitian recipients after the Administration refused to do so.”
Gillen also noted that advancing this bill to a vote marks a crucial step in safeguarding the lives of the Haitian community nationwide.
Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, echoing Gillen’s call for action, said, “At a moment that calls for compassion and clear leadership, the Trump administration has chosen the opposite,” she said in a written statement. “Its actions are destabilizing communities and forcing families into dangerous, impossible choices.”
Solages further explains that TPS is designed for situations like these, especially when returning to one’s home country would endanger lives. She applauds the congresswoman and U.S State Representative Ayanna Pressley for their leadership in gathering the necessary signature to compel a vote.
A discharge petition in the House requires 218 signatures to move forward. Once that threshold is met, a member may notify the House of their intent to call up the motion after seven legislative days. The Speaker is then required to schedule a floor vote within two legislative days.
Since taking office, Gillen has been a leading advocate for TPS protections for Haitians. In February 2025, she introduced a bipartisan bill directing the Department of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for TPS for 18 months starting August 3, 2025. In June, after the Administration abruptly ended humanitarian parole for Haitian citizens, she urged DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to reinstate the program. Later that year, Gillen supported legislation to crack down on criminal gangs and corrupt officials destabilizing Haiti and signed onto an amicus brief challenging the Administration’s termination of Haiti’s TPS designation.
In January 2026, Gillen joined a bipartisan letter urging the Administration to extend TPS for Haitian nationals before its February 3 expiration and celebrated a federal court ruling that preserved TPS protections. She has also met with White House officials multiple times to advocate for Haitian families legally residing in the U.S.
Gillen’s latest success with the discharge petition marks a significant step toward a full House vote and emphasizes growing bipartisan concern for the safety and stability of Haitians in the United States.
