I, along with many other members of the Canandaigua, NY community, wider Finger Lakes, and New York State, are aware of the grave situations in places such as Ukraine and Haiti. We have welcomed many families into Canandaigua in the last several years, but due to their situation as Humanitarian Parolees, we know that their time here is limited regardless of the continued decline in their home countries. 

We decided to create this petition to request our lawmakers to take action to prevent the return of the Haitian and Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees to the indiscriminate violence and oppression of their home countries. Haitians are being terrorized by gangs whose aim is to take over the government, and Ukrainians are under military attacks from Russian forces whose goal is to occupy and rule Ukraine. The inhabitants of these countries live in an unrelenting state of fear of losing their own lives or those of their loved ones.

The status of Humanitarian Parolee expires after two years, at which time they are expected to return to their home country. We have gladly welcomed into our community both Haitian and Ukrainian parolees. Their presence among us has enriched our community and we have benefited from their gifts and talents. We wish to have them remain a part of our community. Forcing these families to return to unlivable situations defies reason and offends a basic sense of what is ethical. It is inhumane and cruel to them. It creates heartbreak for us all.

Please join me and others in signing this petition as members of the Canandaigua area community to implore our lawmakers to take legislative action to permit these parolees to remain with us without being forced back into brutal living conditions.