WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, joined his Senate Congressional Hispanic Caucus colleagues, Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), immigration advocates, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients to call on President Biden to protect TPS and DACA recipients before the end of his term.
As time runs out for the Biden-Harris Administration to act, this press conference follows the Senators’ calls to the Administration last week to designate eligible countries including Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Ecuador for TPS, and to expedite the application process for DACA recipients renewing their status. These actions would help protect many immigrants from being forced back to dangerous conditions.
“Less than six weeks before the Trump Administration begins, hundreds of thousands of lawful DACA recipients and those eligible for Temporary Protected Status fear they will be forced out of their homes or separated from their U.S. citizen children or spouses,” said Senator Padilla. “This isn’t just immoral — by taking away lawful status and work authorization for these individuals, we’d be gutting critical sectors of our workforce. President Biden has the power to prevent these harms, and I urge him to use this moment to protect long-term immigrants and strengthen our economy.”
“There are thousands of immigrant families from countries who clearly qualify for TPS that are at risk of being sent back to horrific conditions” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Many of these immigrants, along with so many of our Dreamers, have been living and working in our communities for years. President Biden should act now to protect these immigrant communities and keep families together.”
“I am proud to join Senator Cortez Masto and Senator Padilla in the fight to protect immigrants, TPS holders, Dreamers, families fleeing violence, and those seeking shelter,” said Senator Luján. “To ensure the safety and security of immigrant communities across the country, we are urging President Biden to take steps to designate, redesignate, and extend TPS for Ecuador, Nicaragua, and El Salvador, as well as expedite the process for DACA recipients to renew their status. I will not remain silent when it comes to protecting our immigrant families and will continue to fight to protect our most vulnerable.”
“President Biden still has a critical window to take concrete steps within his legal authority to protect hundreds of thousands of immigrants from family separation. FWD.us is proud to join Senators Cortez Masto, Padilla, Lujan, and the growing number of lawmakers, business and national leaders calling on President Biden to immediately expand TPS to Nicaragua, Ecuador, Venezuela, and other qualifying nations and expedite the processing of every DACA renewal application in the pipeline before he leaves the White House,” said Andrea Flores, FWD.us Vice President of Immigration Policy. “To fail to act now, to deny safety to the very people we welcomed in and provided refuge to, would be a terrible mistake that will harm millions of immigrants, mixed-status, and American households for years to come. It is not just a legal assessment in this case; it is a potentially life-saving decision.”
“I came here from El Salvador, built my life here, and put down roots here. This is my home. I’ve worked hard in landscaping to support my loved ones, and I’m proud to be part of this community. But right now, there’s so much fear among immigrants like me, especially with the new administration coming in,” said Jose Cabrera, a TPS holder from El Salvador who has lived in Maryland for over 30 years and is a member of CASA. “I’ve had Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for decades, and I still need permanent protection. But we need action now to ensure my immediate safety and future. President Biden, you have the power to make a real difference, but time is running out. Please, protect immigrants who have been part of this country for so long. Don’t wait—our families and our futures depend on it.”
Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress for immigration reform. Yesterday, Padilla emphasized the dangers and immense economic costs of the incoming Trump Administration’s mass deportation plans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. To commemorate the 12th anniversary of DACA, Padilla joined immigration advocates, DACA recipients, and other lawmakers to urge Congress to provide a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients and Dreamers. He previously joined his Senate colleagues and directly impacted immigrant youth leaders for a press conference calling on Republicans in Congress to work with Democrats to pass permanent protections for DACA recipients after the 5th Circuit’s 2022 ruling.
Padilla continues to fight relentlessly to expand pathways to citizenship for millions of long-term undocumented residents. His bill, the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, would update the existing Registry statute so that an immigrant may be eligible to apply for lawful permanent resident status if they meet certain conditions, providing a much-needed pathway to a green card for more than 8 million people, including Dreamers, TPS holders, children of long-term visa holders, essential workers, and highly skilled members of our workforce. Throughout the year, Padilla has called on the Biden Administration to protect long-term undocumented residents and ease certain DACA recipients’ ability to be employed in the United States. He previously introduced the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act, which would create a pathway to citizenship for immigrant essential workers, including Dreamers, as his first bill in Congress.
