Denied!

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has told Haitian President Rene Preval that the situation in Haiti, after a series of deadly storms this summer, does not warrant the temporary protected status (TPS) he requested earlier this fall.

Preval asked that the tens of thousands of undocumented Haitians living in the United States be allowed to stay until Haiti can recover, which the Bush administration has refused.

After a three month reprieve, 28 Haitians have been deported this past month.

Four back-to-back storms this summer left Haiti with "800 dead, tens of thousands of homeless and caused $1 billion in damage," reports the Miami Herald.

Check out these quotes from Randy McGrorty of the Catholic Legal Services;

"They are not basing it on the reality of the situation on the ground but other considerations when applying the law to Haiti. But frankly, after eight years of dealing with this administration and their policy toward Haiti, one of those considerations is racism.''

''According to independent reports, the successive storms destroyed 15 percent of Haiti's GDP. That's the equivalent of eight to 10 hurricane Katrinas hitting the United States in a month's period of time."

Haitian advocates plan to push for TPS with the incoming Obama administration.