In brief
Marven, who was adopted from Haiti, recently celebrated his 16th birthday with his biological family in Florida after a decade-long separation. However, the family's future is uncertain as U.S. immigration policies under Donald Trump threaten to terminate their Temporary Protected Status, possibly forcing Guerline and Rochelle back to Haiti's violence and instability.
In a waterside house in the town of Lakeland, Florida, Marven laughs with two women he loves dearly - his sister Rochelle and their biological mother, Guerline. The warmth between them is unmistakable as they celebrate his 16th birthday, even though they spent a decade apart. Now they fear being separated again.
Also celebrating is Stacey Nageli Angulo, who adopted Marven when he was three years old, from Haiti, in the wake of a devastating earthquake in 2010. She helped Guerline and Rochelle come to the US three years ago, reuniting the family, as spreading gang violence triggered a fresh humanitarian crisis in the Caribbean island nation.
The two Haitian women live and work legally in the US under a scheme called Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which provides protection to individuals from countries affected by war or natural disasters. However, TPS is set to end for 350,000 Haitians in February due to sweeping changes in U.S. immigration policies.
Rochelle and Guerline are terrified of returning to Haiti, as the rise in gang violence has led to a humanitarian disaster. Stacey, who previously supported Donald Trump's presidency, now feels horror at the prospect of sending families like hers back to unsafe conditions.
TPS has been extended multiple times since it was first designated for Haitians in 2010, but the U.S. Department of Homeland Security argues that conditions in Haiti have improved enough for safe returns, a claim contradicted by rising violence and civil unrest. As families prepare to face this uncertain future, the heart-wrenching impact of these policies remains profoundly personal.
