Many of the foreigners coming to the United States do so to escape terrible conditions in their native countries. At Cuevas, Garcia & Torres, P.A., we speak to many of these people on a regular basis. We are prepared to assist immigrants in Miami through the process of gaining legal status and, when possible, permanent legal residency.
People from Haiti are a small yet growing group of newcomers to our country hoping to make a better life here, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Between 1990 and 2012, the numbers of Haitians fleeing to America tripled. According to the Migration Policy Institute, Haitian emigration began to increase in the late 1980s after the Duvalier dictatorship disintegrated, plunging the country into unrest. In January 2010, a massive earthquake devastated the country and displaced over a million refugees. This disaster prompted the United States government to give Haiti Temporary Protected Status, a designation that has been extended until January 22, 2016.
Currently, the majority of Haitian immigrants in the United States are concentrated in New York and Florida, particularly the greater Miami area. These two states held more than 70 percent of Haitian newcomers from 2008 to 2012.
If you are Haitian or another ethnicity hoping to make a fresh start in America, you have likely faced many challenges since arriving in the country. It may help to have an advocate on your side to stand up for your rights. Learn more about gaining legal status or becoming a U.S. citizen by visiting our page.