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    The Indian Eye
             NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                   AUGUST 21, 2026                                      16

                                    NYC Hotel Association Calls for

                     Immediate Reversal of TPS Revocation for

             Haitians, Pledges Support for Affected Workers

            HANYC President and CEO Vijay Dandapani affirmed his support for Haitian and immigrant
              New Yorkers in the hospitality sector at a Leadership Breakfast hosted by The Haitian Times.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            the  Hotel  Association  of  New York
                                                                                                                  City for standing with Haitian work-
            New York, NY
                                                                                                                  ers and calling for this decision to
               n response to the federal govern-                                                                  be reversed. The hospitality industry
               ment’s devastating decision to                                                                     depends heavily on immigrant work-
            Iend Temporary Protected Status                                                                       ers, but this is about more than labor.
            (TPS) for Haitians, the Hotel Asso-                                                                   It is about people who have helped
            ciation of New York City (HANYC)                                                                      build our businesses, strengthen our
            is calling for an immediate reversal                                                                  communities, and become part of the
            of the revocations, which are putting                                                                 fabric of this country. Our industry
            tens of thousands of Haitian New                                                                      should stand with them and advocate
            Yorkers at risk and creating further                                                                  for their ability to continue building
            uncertainty for immigrant communi-                                                                    their lives here,” said Fred Raphael,
            ties and New York’s economy.                                                                          owner of First Republic Lounge &
                With immigrants comprising ap-                                                                    Restaurant in Elizabeth, New Jersey,
            proximately 85% of the hotel work-                                                                    and Rebèl Restaurant & Bar on the
            force, HANYC knows firsthand how                                                                      Lower East Side.
            essential immigrants are to a thriving                                                                    “The potential loss of Temporary
            city and economy. That is why hotels                                                                  Protected Status for Haitians is  not
            provide immigrant workers with some                                                                   simply an immigration issue; it is an
            of the best wages and benefits in the   we urge the federal government to   nity for others. Removing thousands   economic and community stability is-
            country, offering them and their fam-  reverse the termination of TPS. Pro-  of people from the workforce would   sue for New York City. Haitian New
            ilies upward economic mobility. This   tecting our immigrant workforce is es-  destabilize families, disrupt business-  Yorkers have spent decades help-
            includes the estimated 1,200 Haitian   sential to protecting New York City’s   es, and weaken local economies. We   ing to build and sustain this city—as
            New Yorkers working in the hotel   economy  and  ensuring  that  our  city   commend the Hotel Association of   workers, business owners, home-
            industry who are now directly or in-  remains a place where everyone has   New York City for recognizing what   owners, parents, and civic leaders. In
            directly impacted by the termination   the  opportunity  to build  stable  lives   employers across industries already   the hospitality industry in particular,
            of TPS. The revocation of TPS for   and contribute to our shared future.”  know: Haitian immigrants are an   Haitian workers are part of the infra-
            Haitian New Yorkers threatens not     HANYC joins Haitian commu-    integral part of our economic infra-  structure that keeps New York func-
            only their livelihoods and ability to   nity leaders and advocates, including   structure. The business community   tioning. Forcing these families into
            support their families, but the busi-  the Haitian Chamber of Commerce,   has a stake in ensuring that they can   uncertainty would have consequenc-
            nesses and communities that depend   as well as Council Members Farah   continue to live, work, and contribute   es that extend far beyond the indi-
            on them.                          Louis and Rita Joseph, Assemblyman   with stability and dignity,” said Ron   viduals who hold TPS. We welcome
                HANYC is extending its support   Vanel, and elected officials at the city   Cetoute, President of the Federation   the  Hotel  Association  of  New York
            to Haitian TPS holders by connecting   and  state  levels—Mayor  Mamdani,   of Haitian Chambers of Commerce.  City’s willingness to stand with its
            them to resources, pledging founda-  Attorney General James, the Brooklyn   “I have spent years building and   Haitian employees and to recognize
            tion support, and helping navigate   Borough President, and the Public Ad-  operating restaurants in this region,   that protecting immigrant workers
            work eligibility and access to benefits.  vocate—in calling on the federal gov-  and I have seen firsthand that Haitian   also means protecting the economic
                “As an immigrant myself, I do   ernment to reinstate TPS for Haitians.  workers are an essential part of the   and social fabric of New York,” said
            not  take  for  granted  the  opportuni-  “The termination of TPS for   workforce that keeps our restaurants   Marie Lily Cerat, Ph.D. Director,
            ties that this city and the hotel indus-  Haitians  would  reverberate  far be-  and communities thriving. They  are   CUNY Haitian Studies Institute at
            try  can  offer  immigrants—but  only   yond the individuals and families   cooks, servers, managers, profession-  Brooklyn College; Africana Studies
            if they are allowed to live and work   who directly depend on the program.   als, neighbors, and parents who have   Department, Brooklyn College.
            here without fear. Haitian New York-  Haitian immigrants are workers, en-  worked hard, raised families, contrib-  Vijay Dandapani recently spoke
            ers are a vital part of our hotel and   trepreneurs, consumers, and taxpay-  uted to their communities, and invest-  at The Haitian Times’ “Leading La-
            hospitality workforce, and their con-  ers who contribute every day to New   ed years of their lives in this country.   bor in a Changing Immigration Land-
            tributions  strengthen  our  businesses   York’s economy and to communities   Ending Temporary Protected Status   scape” breakfast at Brooklyn College,
            and our city every day,” said Vijay   across the country. Our chambers   would upend the lives of hardwork-  sponsored by HANYC, about how
            Dandapani, President and CEO of   see firsthand the businesses that rely   ing people while also removing ex-  shifting federal immigration policies
            HANYC. “HANYC will continue to    on Haitian workers and the Hai-   perienced, valued employees from   are affecting New York’s hospitality
            stand with Haitian hotel workers and   tian-owned businesses  that, in  turn,   businesses that have long depended   sector and Haitian and other immi-
            the communities they call home, and   create  jobs  and  economic  opportu-  on their contributions. I commend   grant workers.

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