Senator Rick Scott Senator Ashley Moody
111 N. Adams St. Suite 208 402 S. Monroe St. Suite 2105
Tallahassee, FL 32301 Tallahassee, FL 32399

RE: Mission Talk Pastors and Faith Leaders throughout the United States Call on Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody to Vote Yes on S.B. 4814 to Extend TPS for Haitians

Dear Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody,

We are pastors and faith leaders serving congregations throughout the country. Many of our churches include Haitian families who worship, work, raise children, care for our elderly, and serve alongside us. We are asking you, as Florida's United States Senators, to cosponsor and vote for S. 4814.

It is no exaggeration to say that the world understands Haiti is facing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis that words can do little to explain fully. The crisis goes beyond Port-Au-Prince and is affecting every aspect of life for families living in Haiti. Gang violence, sexual and gender-based violence, the displacement of nearly 1.5 million people, food insecurity, lack of medical care, and economic instability are part of daily life. There is no safety for millions of women, men, and children.

The risk for Haitians who are deported from the United States is even greater because they will become human targets for kidnappings and more. As faith leaders, we cannot stay silent on the situation. We are called to action because of the scale of human suffering, and the deep knowledge that every life is worth protecting, and that TPS can help us accomplish that mission.

TPS was created exactly for situations like this, to protect families who cannot safely return to their countries of origin. For sixteen years, Haitians had a legal immigration status that seldom led to a pathway to residency, and waited with hope for legislative solutions. TPS Haitian holders did everything they were supposed to: avoiding crimes, unauthorized travel, yearly check-ins, and more. They are among the most vetted members of our communities. The reality is that Haiti is in no condition to accept deported mothers, fathers, and children. Gangs in Port-Au-Prince have shot at American Airlines, JetBlue, and Spirit Airlines, forcing a period when flights were not allowed to Haiti. Sending them back to these conditions puts members of the community in grave risk of violence, kidnapping and even death.

Our faith encourages us to protect, understand, and love one another, no matter where the other person was born, for Jesus was once a child seeking asylum, running from life-threatening conditions. As pastors and faith leaders, we are called by God to care for our Haitian brothers and sisters. Scripture calls us to welcome the stranger, bear each other’s burdens, defend the vulnerable and love our neighbors as ourselves.

If you cosponsor S.B.4814, it would be understood as a decision made from a place of wisdom and mercy.

We believe mercy must be centered in our policies, especially as we try to navigate the aftershocks of policies made without it. The reality for many pastors is this: our churches are emptier because people are terrified of being taken. Leaders in our churches cannot continue their duties because of the same fear. As Senators, you have the power to change this reality and ensure that our churches become places of praise and worship again.

In Haiti, we are horrified by the stories of church-goers who try to worship and are met with violence and death instead. As recently as August 2026, gang members massacred 47 church-goers, including five children. The gangs took twenty hostages, and gang leaders warned that each one would be killed if law enforcement intervened. This is not an isolated event; violence does not rest in Haiti.

Church In Need, a pontifical organization that aids Christians experiencing persecution, notes:
Numerous religious institutions have also been attacked and forced to close. After storming the buildings, the gangs set fire to them or turn them into their bases of operations. Many Catholic schools, some with more than a century of history, have suffered the same fate. No one knows if they will ever be recovered, or in what state they will be found if they are. We are in deep mourning for the current situation in Haiti and the pain, confusion, and sorrow that TPS holders are experiencing. Haitians who are TPS holders are a critical part of our communities and the economic fabric of our nation. Haitians in Florida care for our elderly loved ones as home care aides, serve as trusted nurses in hospitals, help keep our airports running smoothly, and more. Throughout the U.S., Haitians generate over $4 billion annually for the United States. In Florida alone, their economic contributions equal $2.6 billion.
For us, our people are more than just economic contributions. They are our worship leaders, ushers, intercessors, parishioners, but most importantly our fellow siblings in Christ.

We approach you with a hopeful and loving heart. Knowing that hope and love drive out despair. In Florida, we need love and hope more than ever. We urge you to cosponsor S.B.4814 and extend TPS for Haitian families across this nation.

God Bless,