Author: Emma Buckhout
We know that children and families fleeing spiraling violence, corruption, and poverty in the Northern Triangle of Central America—El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras—deserve a fair shot at safety and protection. Instead, the Obama Administration is continuing to prioritize detaining and deporting anyone who crosses our southern border as quickly as possible. And that means sending children, women, and men back to the dangers they risked everything to escape.
In May, the Department of Homeland Security revealed that it would be conducting more immigration raids targeting recently arrived families from Central America. However, many of these families were put through a fast-track process and denied proper access to legal counsel or due process. Raids, detention, and deportation back to danger are NOT the solution.
Today on World Refugee Day, we are asking President Obama to recognize the refugees in our back yard, and to prioritize protection, not deportation. Congressional allies are calling for much-needed protection measures for Central American children and families, and they need our support to make sure it’s heard!
Representatives Torres, Gallego, O’Rourke, and Jeffries have written a letter to President Obama calling for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. As the letter says, “these countries merit TPS designation because of the devastating increase in violence that has led to an acute humanitarian emergency.” To effectively address the humanitarian crisis in Central America we need a comprehensive strategy that prioritizes protection. TPS is a critical part of that strategy.
We need more representatives to sign on to this letter to make sure President Obama hears the message loud and clear. The deadline is tomorrow, Tuesday, June 21st. Can you contact your member of Congress today to make sure they sign on and support TPS for children and families fleeing violence? Click here to use our easy phone or email script—it will just take 5 minutes!
Want to do more to lift up refugees from Central America on World Refugee Day?
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*Share our latest blog on what the Obama Administration can do to better orient its immigration policy to prioritize protection.
Thank you for supporting protection for refugees fleeing violence!
