Velázquez on TPS Termination for Honduras

Washington, DC – Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) issued the following statement regarding news that the Department of Homeland Security will terminate Temporary Protected Status for Honduras:

"The decision by the Trump Administration to end TPS for 57,000 Hondurans is further evidence of their intent to gut a program that helps some of our most vulnerable immigrant communities.

"Since TPS was first designated for Hondurans fleeing natural disaster, economic turmoil and violence, it has been renewed by Democratic and Republican Administrations, alike. Today's decision is not an isolated one. As a result of the Trump Administration's series of decisions to terminate TPS, 310,540 recipients are losing their status. The terminations account for 98% of the total number of immigrants participating in the program, and who now face potential deportation.

"Today's decision is yet another coldhearted attempt by Donald Trump to attack immigrants, simply to appease an extreme, far-right political base.

"We must thwart these efforts, which are an affront to our national values. To that end, I am working urgently with my colleagues and Congressional Leadership to push my bill, the American Promise Act, which would provide a path to naturalization for TPS recipients."

Velázquez is the author of the American Promise Act, legislation to provide TPS recipients with a path to naturalization. The bill has been officially endorsed by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and has 100 cosponsors.

# # #