Opinion: Georgia mother urges temporary protective status for Haitians
She adopted her son, but Trump administration’s policy and a recent Supreme Court decision could force his deportation.
People hold Haitian flags and signs during a rally in support of immigrants living in the United States with temporary protected status on Thursday, July 9, 2026, in San Diego. (Gregory Bull/AP)
By Kathy Barrett – For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
32 minutes ago
I am an American citizen. My son is not. He is a Temporary Protected Status recipient. This is our story.
In January 2012, I took my first mission trip to an orphanage in Haiti with ordinary plans: put on a Vacation Bible School, build some picnic tables, paint some walls. That visit changed my life in extraordinary ways.
I made connections not only with the warm and gracious Haitian people, but in particular with a young teenager — who I will refer to as S. to protect our privacy.
Over the next year and a half, I returned to the orphanage repeatedly, and each visit created a stronger bond between S. and myself. Eventually, I longed to provide him with a chance for a future filled with hope and opportunity.
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We did all that we could legally do
Kathy Barrett is a Georgia educator and adoptive mother of a Haitian-born son. (Courtesy)
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Addressing the critics’ concerns
An American and a Haitian flag both hang from a sign reading “Little Haiti Unity” on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami. (Lynne Sladky/AP)
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