Brooklyn, NY – Today marks the eighth anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti and people throughout the Haitian diaspora. Friends of Haiti will not only be paying tribute to the more than 300,000 victims who perished that day, and the estimated 1.5 million who were displaced, but are unifying to denounce the distasteful, denigrating and disparaging racist remarks referring Haiti, Africa and other black or brown countries as "shithole" countries.

With 2.5 million people still in need of humanitarian aid, battling with the cholera epidemic, and the residual of hurricane Matthew 2017, the people of Haiti with their indomitable spirit have been rebuilding their communities and their lives.

"Although it has been eight years, the impacts of the earthquake are ever present," said Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte. Unfortunately, on the eve of this commemoration the President of the United States decided to disparage this beautiful island and other black and brown countries out of pure ignorance and disrespect to all of us as Americans. As Americans and humans of this world, we demand an apology from President Trump for his demeaning remarks. Haiti has made significant contributions to the United States, including, helping win its independence by sending soldiers to fight in the Revolutionary War and World War II, discovering Chicago, and helping the US with the Louisiana purchase, to name a few. Americans should not accept such characterizations of who we are. We are not an America of hate. We are an America that is the land of the free and the home of the brave."

As we commemorate this day against the backdrop of the ongoing rebuilding effort, President Trump has decided to send over 60,000 people back to HaitiHaiti have not changed enough to warrant such a choice. It is imperative that the President re-instate TPS for the tens of thousands of Haitians throughout New York State. It only stands to tear communities and families apart. After all, it is a small part of the debt that we owe to Haiti for our freedom.