Yesterday, advocates rallied outside the White House to call out President Biden for failing to grant TPS designations for humanitarian relief one year after devastating hurricanes. New TPS designations provide security for families already living and working in the U.S., and will help stabilize a region grappling with acute food insecurity and child malnutrition, widespread poverty amid economic collapse, internal displacement, and dangerously unstable political conditions.
Here is how things went down:
The rallying point was right outside the White House where many organizations and advocates gathered:
Happening now outside the @WhiteHouse! Rally in support of #TPSForCentralAmerica. Follow our thread for updates. pic.twitter.com/F8JZZ5OBIq
— America's Voice (@AmericasVoice) November 17, 2021
🗣️We’re here at the White House with @nahraglobal @CYurumein @TPS_Alliance @PresenteOrg @ALIANZAAMERICAS @funidasenaccion @LAWGaction to remind @POTUS @SecMayorkas that Central Americans NEED TPS NOW! #TPSforCentralAmerica pic.twitter.com/12lS7UBKhe
— CASA (@CASAforall) November 17, 2021
.@PresenteOrg is part of a delegation led by @ALIANZAAMERICAS who are now in Washington D.C. to demand that @POTUS use its administrative power to urgently protect communities affected by the ravages of Hurricanes Eta and Iota. #TPSforCentralAmerica
📸 @elmerosalva of @crecenhtx pic.twitter.com/8AKHR5UYWN— Presente.Org (@PresenteOrg) November 17, 2021
The economic benefits of continuing TPS must be emphasized:
Oscar Chacon: “Not only because of the storms but because of the economic impact of COVID… TPS is one way of granting a degree of certainty to families.” #TPSForCentralAmerica pic.twitter.com/wkdGl6gTEh
— America's Voice (@AmericasVoice) November 17, 2021
There were other speakers who made sure their voice was heard:
Mirtha Colon: “If we don’t raise our voices, they won’t hear us.” #TPSforCentralAmerica pic.twitter.com/9fv1gG69Z8
— America's Voice (@AmericasVoice) November 17, 2021
Mario Barillas: “Staying United is the only way… We need action! We need answers!” #TPSforCentralAmerica pic.twitter.com/0V2OZtUqUM
— America's Voice (@AmericasVoice) November 17, 2021
Xiomara Alvarez, @funidasenaccion
“Having TPS would not only help Nicaraguans but all Central Americans that have been affected by this tragedy. We need to keep families united and designate #TPSforCentralAmerica” pic.twitter.com/cWqKsXrYET
— CASA (@CASAforall) November 17, 2021
Mirtha Colon, @CYurumein & Central American Black Organization
“It is a shame that we constantly have to go to court and beg for TPS. We’re here because we NEED support! We’re here because we had NO CHOICE.
If we don’t raise our voices, they won’t hear us” #TPSforCentralAmerica pic.twitter.com/lJZ5spuWga
— CASA (@CASAforall) November 17, 2021
Marídele Member @TPS_Alliance
“We’re here to remind @POTUS that there is so much destruction that we can’t return back to our home countries so we NEED #TPSforCentralAmerica” pic.twitter.com/FvBd2QJH7w
— CASA (@CASAforall) November 17, 2021
.@daniburgip: “I am here for all of you, but I don’t want to be here for another year.” #TPSforCentralAmerica pic.twitter.com/uYgX8w9Yng
— America's Voice (@AmericasVoice) November 17, 2021
The reality is that the United States has played a huge role in destabilizing the Central American region which has prompted more migration to the United States:
Oscar Chacon: “We are here because we come from broken places the United States all to often had a hand in breaking.” #TPSforCentralAmerica pic.twitter.com/DgUbLAzdJr
— America's Voice (@AmericasVoice) November 17, 2021
Patricia Montes, Human Rights Activist from Honduras, Centro Presente
“Central Americas don’t migrate to the United States – we flew our home countries because of violence, displacement, economic and political hardship!”#TPSforCentralAmerica pic.twitter.com/4zR49qRQgW
— CASA (@CASAforall) November 17, 2021
The Biden Administration has ultimate control over this matter and it is time to act now:
.@POTUS has the power to designate #TPSforCentralAmerica. The time is now. pic.twitter.com/8YAJt3Ohja
— America's Voice (@AmericasVoice) November 17, 2021
Mayor @CelinaMtRainier agrees that we NEED #TPSforCentralAmerica
“They don’t care if you’re undocumented when they ask you to pay taxes. They don’t care if you’re undocumented when you pay your rent. Granting #TPS is the bare minimum of what @POTUS can do.” pic.twitter.com/RRmwpbSkp6
— CASA (@CASAforall) November 17, 2021
Enough is enough! "We’re here to remind @POTUS that Central Americans need TPS NOW!”, said @oachacon61, Executive Director of @ALIANZAAMERICAS at Washington D.C. Exactly one year after Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador were devastated by twin hurricanes Eta & Iota. pic.twitter.com/vzjBioNQfs
— ALIANZA AMERICAS (@ALIANZAAMERICAS) November 17, 2021
🦋We’re fighting for ALL Central Americans. A climate crisis should not mean living in poor conditions without basic needs, #TPS designations are a human rights matter. @POTUS and @SecMayorkas, we NEED #TPSforCentralAmerica NOW! pic.twitter.com/WfYHZtZs1s
— CASA (@CASAforall) November 17, 2021
@CASAforall leader demanding @POTUS to protect and expand #TPSforCentralAmerica
The U.S. must act to protect Central Americans through #TPS designations. #TPSforCentral America pic.twitter.com/1r2hheqnBI— Guadalupe de la Cruz (@Lupitas08) November 17, 2021
