Help for displaced Haitians

Hartford (WTNH) - Here in Connecticut, about 80 immigration lawyers and legal assistants are volunteering to help Haitian citizens stranded in the state because of the earthquake.

The heartbreak of the Haiti earthquake is compounded by the knowledge that by some estimates, there are nearly 200,000 Haitians in this country who now cannot go back. President Barack Obama granted them Temporary Protected Status, but many do not know what to do.

"Temporary Protected Status, TPS, is a temporary designation for foreign nationals who are already in the United States who cannot safely return home because of a crisis in their country," explained Attorney Douglas Penn, Connecticut Lawyers for Haiti.

Today, Connecticut Lawyers for Haiti announced they will offer free legal clinics in five Connecticut cities on Saturday February 6.

"The people that can apply must be citizens of Haiti, they must have been physically present in the United States on January 12, 2010 and they must continue to reside in the U.S. from January 12, 2010," said Attorney Jennifer Rodriguez, Connecticut Lawyers for Haiti.

A minister from the French Speaking Baptist Church in New Haven expressed relief and thanks for the help.

"As minister I work with a lot of Haitians and they have a lot of questions, sometimes I can't give the answers because I don't know, but I appreciate the help of everybody which is going to help me answer some questions," said Rev. Leonce Alexis, French Speaking Baptist Church.

The lawyers are donating their time, but the government requires a $470 payment to process the paperwork. Financial assistance is available.