For Immediate Release
August 9, 2021
Media Contact
Erik Villalobos, (516) 660-4508, evillalobos@ndlon.org
NYC TPS Holders Push Senate to Take Action as Democrats’ Budget Package Includes Permanent Residency
New York City- Immigrant rights advocates held a press conference to call on NY Legislators such as Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, to support their efforts of obtaining a permanent residency by helping to pressure Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The event occurred just hours after Democrats unveiled a $3.5 trillion budget resolution package instructing congress to draft language which includes a pathway to citizenship for potentially millions of people.
Throughout the past week, organizers, leaders, and TPS families of the National TPS Alliance in New York City have been reaching out to local beneficiaries of the Temporary Protected Status program (TPS) to help build and empower an immigrant led committee which could pressure Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in the midst of the Senate Democrats’ proposal to include a permanent residency for Dreamers, TPS Holders, Farm workers, and Essential workers, in the next budget reconciliation package.
Oscar Rodriguez of the National TPS Alliance made the following statement:
For the past four years, TPS families have been on the frontlines in the battle for immigration reform. Our efforts challenged Trump’s anti-immigrant and racist policies, saved the TPS program, and helped bring us to this critical moment where congress can grant a permanent residency for millions of migrant families through the process of budget reconciliation where we can guarantee green cards for TPS Holders, Dreamers, farm workers, and essential workers.
Today I would like to call on NYC legislators like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez to stand with our struggle for permanent residency because we believe that she truly understands the contributions migrant families make to this city and to the entire country. We also believe that she has the influence to help us call on Senator Schumer into ensuring no migrant family is left behind any legislation for legalization.
Senator Chuck Schumer has the power to ensure that this year, migrant families are not left with false promises. We welcome Senate Majority Leader Schumer’s support for our cause, and are delighted to hear that the Democrats’ budget proposal, which includes legalization, continues to move in the right direction. But we need action! We need Permanent Residency and as congress continues to discuss our fate, we will continue our fight, will refuse to be used as political pawns, will continue to place all of the necessary public pressure until we can ensure that no one is left out of this final deal. Let’s get this done! Residency NOW!”– Oscar Rodriguez, TPS Holder, Coordinator for NYC TPS Committee
###
The National TPS Alliance is a grassroots organization comprised of over 50 committees nationwide, advocating for the permanent residency of beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status from the countries of El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Nicaragua, Nepal, Syria, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Yemen
https://www.facebook.com/TPSAlliance
https://www.nationaltpsalliance.org/