CMS Represented at Haitian Independence Day Celebration in Brooklyn

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

On New Year’s Day, the Diocese of Brooklyn held its annual celebration of Haitian Independence Day at Our Lady of Refuge Church in Brooklyn. Deacon Paul Dorsinville, CMS’ Health Education Coordinator, spoke at the event, attended by more than 1,000 community members.

Deacon Paul shared CMS’ immigration, employment, and housing legal services with Haitian parishioners and community residents. He also explained how the community can access free and low-cost health insurance through Fidelis Care.

Deacon Paul’s outreach to Our Lady of Refuge and other parishes within the Haitian Apostolate is part of Catholic Migration Services’ ongoing effort to make its services available to the Haitian community.

Since the majority of attendees were Haitian, Deacon Paul announced the extension of the deadline to renew Temporary Protected Status for Haiti to January 29, 2013, recently decided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The renewal period for TPS, a temporary legal status and work authorization granted to Haitians who moved to the U.S. in the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated Haiti in January 2010, has been extended. Haitian immigrants must re-register their TPS NO LATER than January 29, 2013.

If you would like more information, or if you are Haitian and need to re-register your TPS, please call our Queens office at 347-472-3500 or our Brooklyn office at 718-236-3000.