CORREA, CONNOLLY LEAD NEARLY 60 MEMBERS CALLING FOR TPS OR DED FOR GUATEMALAN NATIONALS IN UNITED STATES
“Granting TPS or DED to Guatemalan nationals in the United States is entirely within the legal authority of this administration and it is both the right and the smart thing to do.”
WASHINGTON — Today, Representative Lou Correa (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee, and Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) led nearly 60 of their colleagues in a letter urging the Biden-Harris Administration to designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Guatemalan nationals residing in the United States.
“We write to urgently request that your administration provide temporary humanitarian protections for Guatemalan nationals living in the United States by either designating the country for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or authorizing Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Guatemalan nationals,” the members wrote. “Several significant and overlapping natural disasters are causing substantial disruption and hampering the country’s ability to adequately handle the return of its nationals at this time. Additionally, widespread impunity, corruption, and violence are preventing Guatemalans from returning to the country safely.”
Today, the vast majority of Guatemalans have lived in the United States for many years and are deeply integrated into the fabric of American families, communities, and local economies. Providing these humanitarian protections will reinforce the relationship that the United States is developing with the new, democratically elected government in Guatemala, which has committed to taking steps to try to ameliorate many of the conditions that have long been neglected by previous Guatemalan leaders.
“Granting TPS or DED to Guatemalan nationals in the United States is entirely within the legal authority of this administration and it is both the right and the smart thing to do,” the members concluded. “The problems in Guatemala today are deeply rooted and they pose a threat not only to the safety and security of Guatemalan nationals who have long resided in the United States, but also to the U.S. Government’s efforts to address the root causes of forced and irregular migration in the hemisphere.”
The U.S. Government’s official reports on human rights abuses and violence in Guatemala are unsparing. The State Department’s 2023 Human Rights Report cites credible reports of: “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment by the government; harsh and life threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention,” and more.
“The President has recognized the critical role that Temporary Protected Status plays in offering relief to families,” says Gustavo Torres, Executive Director of CASA. “We urge him and the administration to continue to extend relief to those who have been a part of our community for decades. A designation of TPS or DED for Guatemala would ensure that CASA members and Guatemalan families across the country will be able to secure work authorization, allowing them to support their loved ones without the constant fear of being separated. As so many have become fundamental members of communities across the US, we call on the administration to recognize their long-standing contributions and ensure that those who now call the US home can do so with pride and security.”
Led by Correa and Connolly, this letter was endorsed by CASA co-signed by nearly 60 Democratic members of the House of Representatives. A full list of co-signers can be found HERE.
“Due to climate change and natural disasters, Guatemala does not have an infrastructure where people can continue to live, as many communities are destroyed,” said Julian Ramirez, CASA member in Georgia. “In 2020, I watched as Hurricane Eta and Iota destroyed people’s homes. Completely destroyed the agriculture that our people rely on. We immigrants came to this country to contribute to our families and to this country at the same time. We come to work, to support our families, and a TPS would give us the freedom and opportunity to do more than we can now.”
“TPS will give me the protection I need to keep working and supporting my family,” says Jose Berduo, CASA community member in Virginia. “As an essential agriculture worker, it means I can continue contributing to the economy without the constant fear of losing everything—or losing my family to deportation. I immigrated with my family 16 years ago from Guatemala, and ever since then, I’ve been working on America’s farms, helping to feed our communities. TPS would provide the stability I need to keep supporting my family and fulfilling my dreams while giving back to the country that has become my home.”
“A TPS or DED designation from President Joe Biden for the Guatemalans unprotected in our country is the biggest hope they have after decades of contributing to the economy and raising their families here in the US,” says Walter Baltres, President of the Red Migrante Guatemalteco (Guatemalan Immigrant Network). “This is a long overdue act of dignification for our members across forty states. There is no moment better than right now to bring our people out from behind the shadows.”
You can read the full text of the letter HERE.
###
Next Article Previous Article