The Department of Homeland Security has announced that it is ending protections for Salvadorans who sought refuge in the U.S. following El Salvador’s 2001 earthquakes. Affecting more than 260,000 Salvadorans in the country with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) the majority of Salvadoran TPS beneficiaries have resided in the U.S. for 20 years or more. It is worth noting also that the U.S. Department of State currently has a Travel Warning in effect for El Salvador, in which it cites widespread gang violence and one of the highest homicide levels in the world, a situation that prevents the safe return of these recipients.
” The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to carefully consider the risks of travel to El Salvador due to the high rates of crime and violence. El Salvador has one of the highest homicide levels in the world and crimes such as extortion, assault and robbery are common. This replaces the Travel Warning for El Salvador dated January 15, 2016.” Travel Warning, February 14, 2017
The Immigrant Magazine respects The Department of Homeland security provides to the United States, we however find this action against the un-empowered El Salvadoran immigrant community heartless at this point in time. This decision will not only destabilize families by tearing them apart but it will also hinder and disrupt the economic growth of their local communities.
The Immigrant Magazine is hereby calling on Congress to intervene and stop this inhumane act by legislating a solution that will prevent the deportation of TPS recipients. We also call on all immigrant communities in the US to call on their respective congressional representatives and request they take some action to protect these families that have been dis-enfranchised both by natural disaster and now this DHS decision that will torture this community.
An immigrant’s right is a human right. Humanity fails when we do nothing for those in distress in times like this.
Find the number of your congressional representative and make that call now. We must make our voices heard by the leaders now!
