More Border Enforcement and Militarization Should Not Be Included in Redesignation
(Washington)—Temporary Protected Status (TPS) redesignation for Venezuelan immigrants is a positive development but the Biden administration must not tie it to increased border enforcement and militarization that only emboldens hateful policies like Texas’ Operation Lone Star, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) said.
“The ILRC is pleased that roughly 472,000 Venezuelan immigrants will benefit from TPS redesignation that will allow them to seek work and support their families, and we hope the administration will redesignate TPS for migrants from other countries soon,” said ILRC Policy Attorney & Strategist Elizabeth Taufa. “Unfortunately, the Department of Homeland Security has decided that increasing enforcement and militarization at the southern border must go hand-in-hand with TPS redesignation when instead, the administration should focus on providing essential services at the border and in states to help asylum seekers. Common-sense reforms that protect vulnerable people should never come at the expense of increased enforcement and detention capacity.”
Redesignation provides relief to many living without status. The ILRC hopes to see the Biden administration designate more countries for TPS, as it has promised an expansion of lawful pathways and protections to accompany the harsh measures it has taken against asylum seekers at the southern border, such as the asylum ban. Further, the ILRC continues to call on Congress to enact legislation that would provide a meaningful pathway to citizenship for all undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Finally, the ILRC reiterates its demand that the Biden administration stop all federal funding for the harmful and illegal Operation Lone Star (OLS). Since OLS began in March 2021, Texas Gov. Abbott has misused nearly $5.1 billion of state funds and federal COVID-relief money to unjustly criminalize and rapidly deport migrants, many of whom are seeking safety in the United States. More recently OLS resulted in numerous family separations. OLS is a scam that violates the Constitution, promotes racial profiling, fuels the mass incarceration of people of color, and encourages white supremacy rhetoric that is harmful to ALL Texans.
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The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is a national nonprofit that works with immigrants, community organizations, legal professionals, and policy makers to build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people. Through community education programs, legal training & technical assistance, and policy development & advocacy, the ILRC works to protect and defend the fundamental rights of immigrant families and communities.