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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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