Immigrant advocates in Miramar call system ‘broken,’ ask for change to TPS designations
American Friends Service Committee of Florida, The Florida Immigrant Coalition, and The Miramar Circle of Florida joined together for a press conference Wednesday to seek immediate action on TPS re-designation for Central American countries.
Community leaders, activists call for new TPS designations for Central American countries
American Friends Service Committee of Florida, The Florida Immigrant Coalition, and The Miramar Circle of Florida joined together for a press conference Wednesday to seek immediate action on TPS re-designation for Central American countries.
US extends temporary residency for thousands from Syria
(SANA via AP)WASHINGTON – The United States extended the temporary legal residency status Friday for nearly 7,000 people from Syria because of the country’s civil war. Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary David Pekoske said Friday that temporary protected status would be extended for 18 months. Temporary status allows foreign citizens to stay in the U.S. if they lack some other form of legal residency and come from a country that meets certain criteria that makes it dangerous to return. Pekoske said Syria continues to meet that criteria because of the civil war. The Trump administration had sought to end TPS for several countries, including Haiti, El Salvador and Nicaragua, but extended it for Syrians.
Battle over Venezuelans brews between Scott, Wasserman Schultz
Scott and Trump have said they are strong supporters of restoring democracy in Venezuela. During a news conference Thursday in Weston, Wasserman Schultz told Venezuelan American activists that Scott's commitment to help Venezuelans "is totally disingenuous." Wasserman Schultz and Pelosi blasted Scott for tying Venezuelans' TPS to a new requirement for review of all migrants TPS cases every 18 months. Trump doesn't need congressional approval to grant Venezuelans TPS. On the Senate floor, Scott said, "the courts have basically made a temporary program permanent, which is not sustainable.
Trump admin won't grant temporary protected status to Bahamians
(CNN) - The Trump administration will not grant temporary protected status, a form of humanitarian relief, to Bahamians affected by Hurricane Dorian, according to an administration official. The Trump administration has moved to end TPS for many of the countries with the protection, but courts have so far blocked those efforts. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida asked Trump to suspend certain visa requirements for Bahamians who have relatives in the United States. By Monday, Rubio said storm survivors were already being evacuated to the United States without being required to show visas after coordinating with authorities. "Those individuals who do make it to the United States that don't have travel documents ... we're going to apply discretion on a case-by-case basis.
Bill to guard Venezuelans from deportation stalls in Senate
Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON - A bill aimed at protecting thousands of Venezuelans currently living in the United States from deportation stalled in the Senate on Tuesday after the Democratic minority urged its approval by unanimous consent. "How can we in good conscience say to these Venezuelans who are in the United States, 'You have to return?'" Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the only Republican among 10 sponsors of the bill, was not present on the Senate floor. Rubio said last week he has been working with the administration on providing Venezuelans with "deferred enforced departure" status instead of TPS. The Congressional Budget Office estimates 200,000 Venezuelans currently living in the United States could receive TPS.