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Harry Reid: Champion for the Latinx Community, Remembered
SFRC Chairman Menendez Leads Senate Dems in Calling for TPS Designations for Latin America Countries
Washington, DC: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (DN.J.) on January 10 was joined by 32 of his Senate Democratic colleagues in formally requesting that the Biden administration grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) re-designations for El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, in addition to a new TPS designation for Guatemala. In a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the senators expressed their grave concern with the worsening humanitarian conditions across Central America being compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple devastating natural disasters, all of which have contributed to an uptick in outmigration from the region. “The crisis in Central America is urgent. ... TPS designations and redesignations would provide critical protections for eligible beneficiaries and enable them to support basic needs of loved ones back home and invest in safer alternatives to irregular migration,” the senators wrote. “It is our assessment that the severe damage caused by back-to-back hurricanes just over one year ago, combined with extreme drought conditions, and the social and economic crises exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, warrant such an action by the Administration.” Established by the U.S. Congress through the Immigration Act of 1990, TPS is a temporary, renewable program that provides relief from deportation and access to a work permit for foreign nationals from certain countries who are unable to return safely to their home country due to natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions. “Over one million Central Americans have been displaced by violence and insecurity. Gender-based violence continues to be a major driver of displacement, with rates increasing dramatically throughout 2020. … Additionally, countries in the region have suffered severe democratic backsliding and political persecution is on the rise, including through the consolidation of a dictatorship in Nicaragua, the dismantling of independent judiciaries, and efforts to intimidate and silence civil society and independent media,” the senators added. “The Biden administration must act and provide certainty for eligible individuals from Central America during this challenging moment. These temporary designations would give the U.S. government more time to partner with governments and civil society in the region to ensure that the return of a large number of individuals to Central America does not create further instability and volatility.” l
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Harry Reid: Champion for the Latinx Community, Remembered
WASHINGTON: Ahead of Sen. Harry Reid’s funeral services Saturday, January 8, Poder Latinx honors the legendary senator’s memory and vows to follow in his footsteps fighting for the needs of the Latinx and all marginalized communities. Sen. Reid spent his career advocating for his home state of Nevada and Americans across the country and was a tireless champion of the Latinx community there, advocating for policies like the DREAM Act and expanding guest worker opportunities. Poder Latinx released the following statement on the eve of Sen. Reid’s funeral services: “As we remember Sen. Reid’s work, we must resume the fight for the policies our community needs to continue building political power. We saw his political positions transform during Nevada’s political transition. He realized the importance of outreach to the Latinx community, which was a fairly unengaged voting bloc at the time, and urged other politicians to do the same. He secured wins through his allyship, hiring staff from diverse communities who have become leaders in the movement, and sponsoring bills such as the DREAM Act and other immigration reform. Sen. Reid was not born into the Latinx community, but he did his part to contribute as much as possible and develop strong roots in our community. It is disheartening that we have lost an ally in La Lucha. Still, his legacy will carry on in the daily work of community organizations that mobilize the Latinx voting bloc. We extend our condolences to his family, and we will continue moving forward in the spirit of Sen. Reid’s tireless efforts on immigration reform and securing wins for working families,” said Yadira Sanchez, co-executive director of Poder Latinx.l
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Know Your Rights with ICE
If approached by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents, you have rights! What can I do if ICE is at my door?
• You do not have to immediately open the door for ICE and you do not have to speak to ICE. • From behind the closed door, you may ask them who they are and to show their badge, ID or business card through the window or peephole or to pass it under the closed door. • You can ask if they have a judicial warrant:
If they say No, you do not have to let them in. You may say,
If they say Yes, you can ask them to slide it under the door. To know if it is a judicial warrant, look to see who signed the warrant. A judicial warrant is a warrant from a court, signed by a judge. For example, judge signatures may have “Honorable/Hon.” “Judge” “Justice” or “Magistrate” in front of them.
• In an emergency, such as a threat to public safety or a threat to someone’s life, ICE can come in without asking your permission. If this happens, you still do not have to speak to ICE. • If ICE is looking for someone, you do not need to speak. If you choose to speak, you can ask ICE to leave contact information. While you do not need to tell ICE where the person is located, providing false information puts you at risk.
What can I do if ICE is inside my home?
• If ICE enters your home without your permission, you can tell them clearly: “I do not consent to you being in my home. Please leave.” Saying this may not always stop them, but it may help any future legal case. • If ICE starts to search rooms or items in your home, you can tell them, “I do not consent to your search.” You can continue to repeat this if they continue to search without consent. • You can tell them if there are children or other vulnerable residents in your home.
What can I do if ICE stops me on the street or in public?
• Before you say anything, you can ask, “Am I free to go?”
If they say Yes: you can say,
“I don’t want to answer your questions”
If they say No: you can say,
If ICE agents try to search your pockets or belongings, you can say,
If they search you anyway, you cannot physically stop them, but clearly saying it may be important in any future legal case.
This fact sheet gives only general information. It is not legal advice. Consult an attorney for legal advice. English Call 855-768-8845 for a FREE Immigration Consultation
Concerns Grow Over Denials of Afghan Humanitarian Parole Requests
BY REBEKAH WOLF
As the United States hastily withdrew its military presence from Afghanistan in August 2021, it began Operation Allies Welcome, a program designed to assist the tens of thousands of Afghans who successfully fled Afghanistan as the Taliban took control. Many of these individuals had previously assisted the U.S. military and its allies throughout the decades-long war, and others were at serious risk of harm. But tens of thousands of Afghans were unable to flee. Months later, many of our allies have been denied protection in the United States or remain in limbo. These rejections are coming despite the fact that both Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Ali Mayorkas and Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the United States had a moral obligation to help them. Now, numerous organizations and members of Congress have raised concern about the denials. Operation Allies Welcome transported tens of thousands of Afghans into the United States while requests for protection—usually in the form of humanitarian parole—were processed. This program included pre-screening and vetting at U.S. military bases, and then resettlement in communities throughout the United States with the assistance of refugee resettlement organizations. Virtually all the request for parole for those individuals were granted. But those who remain in Afghanistan or in third countries face a much more difficult time in receiving parole. Humanitarian parole is temporary permission for someone to enter the United States and remain there for a limited period for urgent humanitarian reasons or to serve a significant public benefit. Since at least 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said this may include people seeking protection from generalized violence and civil unrest. Even though Afghans seeking protection should qualify for parole under those guidelines, many applications have been denied. USCIS now says that humanitarian parole for protection against harm is only available to people who can demonstrate individualized risk of harm. Making matters worse, the agency seems to be requiring corroborating evidence from a third party (such as an international human rights organization or a newspaper) that the Taliban will target the applicant. This can be particularly difficult to prove as many Afghans destroyed evidence of their cooperation with U.S. forces when the Taliban took control. In December 2021, 113 organizations sent a letter to the Biden administration expressing their alarm about the significant problems Afghans were facing in trying to obtain humanitarian parole from USCIS. They argue that the current requirements for Afghans to establish eligibility for humanitarian parole are stricter than they were in the 2017 guidance, and that Afghans who were clearly in need of protection were being denied. That same month, Senator Ed Markey and Representative Seth Moulton led a bicameral letter to the administration, signed by 56 members of Congress, outlining similar concerns. As both the letter from advocates and members of Congress point out, the standard that USCIS is applying is particularly onerous to Afghans who often fled their homes quickly and with little notice due to the United States’ abrupt withdrawal. Additionally, people are reporting extremely long wait times for their applications for humanitarian parole to be processed. USCIS has also not created any special program for Afghans seeking parole. Individualized programs for granting humanitarian parole to specific groups of people in special circumstances have been a common practice for USCIS in the past, such as the 2014 Haitian Family Reunification Parole program, a 2010 parole program for Haitians fleeing the earthquake, and a program created in 2016 for Filipino World War II veterans’ family members. However, USCIS has not committed to anything similar for Afghan nationals. Instead, the agency has left in place the current requirements for humanitarian parole requests for protection that are too stringent. As a result, an unknown number of Afghans have been stranded without targeted help from the United States. The Afghans who were left behind after Operation Allies Welcome are in equal need of the temporary protection that entry into the United States can provide. Access to this protection in a timely manner via humanitarian parole is of vital importance and can be lifesaving. Even after the end of Operation Allies Welcome, the United States’ obligation toward the Afghan people has not ended. Closing the door on the one path many of them have to temporary safety here is unacceptable. To fix this growing problem, the Biden administration should ensure that USCIS is not applying a heightened parole standard to Afghans and consider creating a targeted parole program. l
