WASHINGTON, DC – FWD.us President Todd Schulte issued the following statement on the Biden administration’s decision to protect Venezuelan nationals in the U.S. with a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) redesignation:

“The redesignation of TPS for Venezuela is a critical and powerful decision that will not only prevent the deportation of Venezuelan families to political and economic instability, but it will grant hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans access to a work authorization so that they can better contribute to the communities welcoming them. This decision by President Biden is absolutely critical in providing relief to cities like New York, where tens of thousands of Venezuelans have been waiting for this opportunity to support themselves and help them transition to more stable housing.

“This is a clear testament to the power of advocates across the country who led the charge for this designation and those who have repeatedly shown how TPS has been a powerful tool to strengthen communities and our entire country. We thank President Biden and the administration for this decision today.

“The Venezuelan refugee crisis is one of the largest mass migration crises in the world and something we have not previously experienced in the western hemisphere. By expanding these protections to Venezuelans who have arrived since March 2021, the Administration has boldly recognized that the United States still has an important role to play in welcoming refugees who cannot return home. The Administration should take every step to expedite the review of TPS applications, states and cities should provide legal support to ensure those eligible can apply, and business and philanthropic organizations should help people pay any associated application fees. This moment represents the United States at its best and provides an opportunity for us all to play a role in helping hundreds of thousands of people start new lives in our communities.

“As we celebrate this announcement, we are committed to continue working with the Biden administration to build on their successful use of TPS to safeguard other vulnerable people in need of protection from countries facing devastating humanitarian crises like Cameroon, Nicaragua, Mauritania, and other nations in Central America and beyond that clearly meet the program’s statutory requirements. Moreover, we need to continue to protect and expand on the progress made building legal pathways for safe and orderly migration–including the recent parole pathways and steps to build a working Western Hemisphere refugee program. We need to also build on this momentum to alleviate the situation in New York and other cities. This is not only the moral thing to do, but it will also help support and strengthen American communities and bolster the U.S. economy.”

Background

To learn more about the situation in New York City and other cities with the increase in people seeking asylum and other vulnerable migrants, and the steps to take, please visit here.

Established by the U.S. Congress through the Immigration Act of 1990, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is an incredibly effective legal pathway used by both Democratic and Republican administrations that provides currently undocumented immigrants in the U.S. immediate access to work authorization and deportation protections for 18 months. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has the authority to designate a country for TPS where the country is facing an ongoing armed conflict, an environmental disaster, or an extraordinary and temporary condition.

Currently, in-country conditions in Cameroon, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, Guatemala, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mali, and Mauritania all meet the statutory requirements for a TPS designation.