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We need a legislative solution for Dreamers and TPS holders NOW

December 21, 2017
Carolina's picture
Carolina Rubio-MacWright
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DREAMers, along with temporary protected status ("TPS") holders, are fighting for a legislative solution that will allow them to continue pursuing their dreams in our nation while also contributing to our economy. 

TPS is a form of temporary humanitarian relief that Congress established, whereby the Attorney General may provide TPS to certain designated countries that are going through catastrophe. This protects those immigrants from being sent back to a place that's highly dangerous or deadly. TPS status is granted for immigrants who were in the United States when their home country was devastated by war, natural disaster, famine, or disease epidemic.

DREAMers are young people who were brought to the U.S. as children. In 2012, President Obama created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, most commonly known as DACA. This program allowed for some of these young immigrants to have lawful status and a work permit, as long as they met a strict criteria.
 
On September 5th 2017 President Trump, ended the DACA program, leaving 800,000 DREAMers fighting for their livelihood in the U.S. Unfortunately, they are not alone in the fight for a legislative solution. There are  273,000 U.S. citizen children of TPS holders that are at jeopardy of being separated from their family, if Congress does not pass a legislative solution. Over 320,000 people in the U.S. are TPS holders.

Over 70% of TPS holders have U.S. citizen siblings, spouses, or children, they are following their dreams, rebuilding their lives, and raising families in safety. TPS holders have been living in the U.S. for an average of 19 years, which makes them very much part of the fabric of our nation.

Check out our video, featuring personal stories of immigrants and founding member of MomsRising and Executive VP, Donna Norton, reminding members of Congress that the diversity of our nation, with immigrants from around the world, is what makes the US strong, innovative and prosperous!
 

Special thanks to all of our allies: SEIU, Herd on the Hill, Mormon Women for Ethical Governance, UndocuBlack and CASA .

 
 

 

The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of MomsRising.org.

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