FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2024
CONTACT:
Yanci Nuñez | ynunez@alianzaamericas.org (773) 638-4278
Alianza Americas, a network of organizations led by immigrants of Latin American and Caribbean origin throughout the United States, welcomes today's announcement by the Biden administration that will provide protection from deportation for hundreds of thousands of migrants who are spouses of U.S. citizens. “The parole in place is a positive step in the right direction. We applaud the Biden Administration for using administrative powers to provide immigration relief to many people and encourage it to use this power to its fullest capacity to protect even more people,” said Oscar Chacón, Executive Director of Alianza Americas. “Sadly, the U.S. Congress has failed for nearly 40 years to reform immigration policy in a way that recognizes the invaluable contributions by Latin American and other immigrants to the wellbeing of the nation”, added Chacón.
There are an estimated 1.1 million foreign-born persons who are married to U.S. citizens. These are families who deserve to be protected. Family unity and children's rights should be primary considerations. "We thank the Biden Administration for this decision that will protect families like mine who live under the threat of family separation for years. The Biden administration should do much more to protect more working people and their families”, said Zorayda Ávila, Climate Equity Organizer. “The Administration should immediately grant new Temporary Protected Status designations and redesignations for people from countries such as Haiti, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Ecuador," added Ávila.
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Alianza Americas is the premier transnational advocacy network of Latin American migrant-led organizations working in the United States, across the Americas, and globally to create an inclusive, equitable and sustainable way of life for communities across North, Central and South America.