“… Congress must immediately pass the SECURE Act so that we can finally recognize in law what is already a reality …”
Earlier today, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) announced the reintroduction of the Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and in Emergency (SECURE) Act, which will give Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders a path to permanent residency and eventual citizenship.
The following is a statement from Douglas Rivlin, Director of Communication for America’s Voice regarding the legislation:
Over the past four years, hundreds of thousands of families have lived in fear as the former administration worked overtime to terminate TPS — the only protections standing between these long time American residents and deportation. Instead of separating hardworking families, the SECURE Act would provide permanent protections for our friends and neighbors. They have lived in this country for years and decades and are integral members of our communities — owning homes and businesses, paying taxes, and raising families.
There is simply no reason to endanger the lives of those who fled their homes because of political unrest, natural disasters, and ongoing humanitarian crises to seek refuge and safety. It makes no sense to penalize them, or our country, by not providing TPS holders a path to permanent residency and fully incorporating these American families into the country they call home.
That’s why Congress must immediately pass the SECURE Act so that we can finally recognize in law what is already a reality, that TPS holders are part of the American fabric and that reality should be reflected on paper. They need a permanent, legal path forward and Senators Van Hollen, Cardin and others are charting that path. Their leadership is very much appreciated.
With the new Biden administration leaning into immigration reform, the introduction of TPS legislation is timely and critical. Permanent status for TPS holders is one of the components of Biden’s day one immigration bill that aims to put 11 million undocumented immigrants on pathways to citizenship.
During four years of the Trump administration’s chaos and cruelty on all things immigration, a remarkable shift happened. American public opinion moved in a significantly more pro-immigrant direction. Legalizing long-term immigrants with deep roots in the U.S., as the SECURE Act proposes, is not only the right thing to do, but it is what the American people strongly support.
We look forward to making the SECURE Act part of the legalization legislation that moves forward this year.
