The September 15 Foundation, which has been tracking Hondurans migrating to the United States for years, on Wednesday asked the US government for new temporary protected status (TPSin English) for compatriots affected by hurricanes Eta and Iota.
“It’s been almost three years Government of Hondurass made a new request TPS For Hondurans who do not have legal status in the US due to hurricane disasters Eta And iota“, but, “unfortunately”, the (Joe) Biden administration has not yet “responded”, Juan Flores, president of the aforementioned pro-immigrant organization, told EFE today.
Cyclones Eta and Iota, which made landfall in Central America almost consecutively in the first two weeks of November 2020, left nearly 200 people dead, missing, and caused million-dollar damage to infrastructure and crops, with particular impacts in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala.
Sending remittances to Honduras
Flores said it was a “humanitarian issue” and criticized that Honduran President Xiomara Castro had “abandoned this diaspora” of compatriots who generate more than $9 billion in remittances for the Central American country, representing 29% of its gross domestic product. is GDP of that nation), he published.
He noted that members of the US Congress and Senate have supported the petition September 15 Foundation and pointed out that this community of Hondurans runs the risk of deportation if they do not avail themselves of TPS.
“Because of the current conditions in the country, the lives of this community will be in danger if they are deported,” said the Honduran activist.
He TPS is a program under which the US government grants residence and work permits to citizens of countries affected by natural disasters or violence and must be renewed periodically.
Honduras got the first TPS In January 1999, due to Hurricane Mitch, which had devastated Central America the year before. This TPS was periodically extended until 2017, the year then-President Donald Trump rescinded it. EFE
