Nov. 26, 2008 (Sun Sentinel delivered by Newstex) -- Barack Obama wont take office for nearly two months, but South Florida Congressman Alcee Hastings already is pressing him to allow thousands of Haitians to remain legally in this country. Alcee Hastings Hastings has constantly pushed for ``temporary protected status for undocumented Haitians to prevent them from being deported back to an impoverished, turbulent and storm-wracked island. Many Haitians who are living in the shadows of the law in Florida and other states send money back home to their families. ``The people of Haiti cannot afford to wait a single day longer for this much-needed assistance, Hastings said in a letter to the president-elect. œWhile I continue to hope that our current president (George W. Bush) will finally acknowledge and address the dire plight of the Haitian people, it is important that the next administration be made aware of the importance of TPS.