POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A pair of Polk County families that took in loved ones from Haiti have been told that their Temporary Protected Status has been canceled. Possible deportation is causing them chaos and heartbreak.
Maill-Eva Pierre has accomplished a lot in her short time living in the U.S., including graduating high school.
"I got a job at Publix. I started working, and I got to move into my own apartment," Pierre said.
ABC Action News first introduced you to Pierre nearly two years ago, when she and her mother came from Haiti to live with the Lakeland family, who adopted her brother years ago.
They came as part of the Biden-era humanitarian parole program.
Pierre fears having to return to Haiti, where gangs have taken over the capital city of Port-au-Prince.
"I don't want to go back to Haiti because Haiti right now, the situation is desperate and unstable. People can't live," Pierre said.
The Trump administration is revoking Temporary Protection Status for migrants from Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, saying the program has been “broadly abused.”
"A million people have fled their homes because of the armed gangs taking over their areas around the Port-au-Prince area," said Stacey Angulo.
Angulo, who voted for President Trump, is grappling with the administration's decision.
"I'm struggling with it, it's affecting my family, and we're devastated. My 15-year-old son is going to be devastated if he has to lose his sister and his biological mom, that he's grown and built a relationship with over the last two years while they've been here," said Angulo.
Now Pierre and others granted humanitarian parole could be deported, including Dawn Chappelear's Haitian son.
"This is about people that we love and care about. This is not just a random group,” Chappelear said.
They received a letter in the mail saying her son has until April 24 to self-deport. Chappelear also supported Trump.
"First was unbelief. Shock was part of it, unbelief, panic. Like what in the world are we supposed to do now?" Chappelear said.
Both families have sought legal counsel. They have also contacted the office of Rep. Scott Franklin to arrange a meeting.
“Like my mom said, in Inside Out 2, it's like a core memory.”
ABC Action News spoke with the 11-year-old who went viral when she met her hero Paige Bueckers ahead of the NCAA Women's Final Four in Tampa.
