tags: Press Releases

“One Step Forward, One Step Back” America’s Voice Reacts to Venezuelan TPS Decision

Share This:

Washington, DC – The Biden Administration today announced that it has extended, but not redesignated, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans. The following is a statement from Douglas Rivlin, Director of Communication for America’s Voice.

“While we are heartened by today’s announced extension of TPS for already eligible Venezuelans, the failure to also expand TPS protections to additional Venezuelans in the U.S. is a missed opportunity. It’s one step forward, one step back.

The TPS statute was written for situations like the political, economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. Expanding TPS would mean that Venezuelans who arrived in the U.S. since March 2021 – an estimated 250,000 people – are protected from deportation back to the Maduro dictatorship. This would have ensured the stability of thousands of  families already in the U.S., and demonstrated our nation’s hemispheric leadership at a time of increased regional cooperation. 

We hope the Biden administration gets the fact that TPS remains one of the surest ways that the President can deliver progress for immigrant families. With Republicans determined to obstruct common sense legislation, and Republican judges using the anti-immigrant judicial pipeline to obstruct executive actions, TPS is grounded in statute and a viable way to protect families targeted by the GOP and its allies.”