(BrightPress.org) – Even the people who want more immigration to the U.S. are getting frustrated with President Joe Biden’s administration’s approach to handling the migration crisis at the southern border. Biden’s handlers have used his office to allow more migrants to stay in the U.S. under Temporary Protect Status (TPS) which grants immigrants from specific locations the ability to live and work in the U.S. for a limited amount of time.
Trump famously weakened these programs, shrinking the number of individuals and countries that allowed the benefit. The media went haywire when Trump was quoted asking why we invite so many people from “sh*thole countries” into the United States. The quote was largely used to condemn his administration for terminating TPS for over 262,000 Salvadorans living in the U.S. at the time.
While the Biden administration has allowed these programs to continue, immigrant advocates are upset that more people aren’t being included. Biden famously shirked any responsibility for the border situation, also inspiring ire from immigrant leaders and communities.
National Comms Director of CASA (an immigrant organization) Jossie Flor Sapunar suggested that Congress isn’t going to act and that the only relief available has to come via the executive branch. Sapunar argues that TPS is the biggest and best tool they have to allow people from crisis areas to live and work legally while they await a permanent immigration decision.
A number of organizations are lobbying the administration to expand the TPS program to include El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. They also want Venezuela and Guatemala “redesignated” to grant protections to more people. Advocates argue that it would be “life-changing” for those already in the country. They claim granting legal status to folks already in-country improves the lives of everyone. Curiously absent is any simultaneous suggestion to slow the flood of illegal migration over the southern border. These organizations seem to want to let everyone in and legalize their status as soon as possible.
Trump had previously attempted to end the program for all these countries but got held up in court.
Sapunar acknowledged that TPS is just a stepping stone to full citizenship.
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