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September 9, 2020 — Last week, the Trump Administration announced further limits on access to permanent legal status for persons with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) who travel with advance parole. Most TPS holders have been in the United States for decades, have strong ties to the United States, and are important members of the community. “Through our network of more than fifty community and legal organizations across the country, Alianza Americas has first hand knowledge of the negative impact upon our TPS communities,” said Mony Ruiz-Velasco, Associate Director of Alianza Americas, “we also know that this change in policy creates legal uncertainty and confusion in an area previously established by law and practice.”
Historically, people with TPS who traveled with advance parole, a legal authorization to return to the U.S. after travel abroad, became eligible for adjustment of status if they met other requirements and had an immediate relative such as a U.S. citizen spouse or adult son or daughter who could petition for them.
The new policy limits this possibility leaving TPS holders who have a path to permanent legal status without the ability to obtain permanent status.
“This Administration has found every way possible to exclude people from obtaining permanent status, creating fear and uncertainty in immigrant communities, and expanding ways to separate families,” said Abel Nuñez, Vice Chair of Alianza Americas and Executive Director from the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) in Washington DC.
“Limiting legal options to migration is part of the xenophobic agenda of the Trump Administration creating instability in communities across the United States,” said Daysi Funes Executive Director of Centro Romero in Chicago, IL.
“TPS holders are long-term members of our communities and leaving them without this legal option that has existed in the law for decades leaves TPS holders vulnerable to deportation as this Administration is ending TPS protections,” said Laura Sanches, Director of CARECEN SF’s Immigration Legal Program.
Alianza Americas will offer a public Facebook Live event on Thursday, September 10, 2020 at 8:00pm EST to offer guidance and answer questions about this new policy.
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Alianza Americas is the only transnational organization rooted in Latino immigrant communities in the United States focused on improving the quality of life of all people in the US-Mexico-Central America migration corridor. As a network of Latino and Caribbean immigrants, Alianza Americas is working for change in the U.S. while also promoting a more stable, healthy, democratic and safer conditions in the countries of origin of their members.
CARECEN of Washington DC was established in 1981 and incorporated in 1982 to meet the needs of refugees fleeing a period of violence and strife in Central America. CARECEN’s mission is to foster the comprehensive development of the Latino population in the Washington metropolitan region by providing direct services while promoting grassroots empowerment, civic engagement, and human rights advocacy. At its founding, CARECEN provided direct legal services to newcomer Central American refugees. Over time, CARECEN’s services have evolved to meet the needs of both the incoming and established Central American community and other groups of immigrants arriving to the Washington metro region.
Centro Romero For over 35 years, Centro Romero has been a community-based organization that serves the refugee immigrant population on the northeast side of Chicago. Our interrelated programs include the Youth Learning and Leadership Program, Family Services (encapsulating the Domestic Violence Prevention Program, the Public Benefits Program, and the New Americans Initiative), Adult Education, and Legal Services.
CARECEN of San Francisco empowers and responds to the needs, rights and aspirations of Latino, immigrant, and under-resourced families in the San Francisco Bay Area — building leadership to pursue self-determination and justice. Rooted in its cultural strengths and inspired by the Central American justice struggles, CARECEN SF envisions our diverse immigrant community as thriving; where families prosper, build effective community institutions, and participate confidently in civic life.
Central American Resource Center Houston (CRECEN) – Houston. is a community-based institution that has been responding to the needs and aspirations of Central American and other immigrants in Houston Texas since 1984. Advocating for the rights, economic and social justice for all immigrants, CRECEN is a family-driven force for community empowerment and immigrant leadership in the US and transnationally.
Dominican Development Center (DDC) is a nonprofit organization led and directed by immigrants’ residents of Boston, Massachusetts. DDC emerged to develop and empower Dominican immigrants and immigrants representing all communities. We strive to improve the quality of life for our members by promoting immigration issues that might affect our communities, including but not limited to current laws, legal procedure, immigration, and human rights. We do this through the programming of educational and leadership opportunities which would allow our members to learn and take full advantage of what this country has to offer and by this have a productive life.
Florida Immigrant Coalition. FLIC is a statewide alliance of more than 62 member organizations, including farmworkers, students, service providers, grassroots organizations and legal advocates, who come together for the fair treatment of all people, including immigrants.We accomplish our mission through coordination of immigrant organizations and community education, organizing and advocacy.
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