Deterrence is a Failed Policy: TPS and Expanded Pathways are the Way Forward
Last night, the Biden administration extended and redesignated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans who were present in the United States as of July 31st, allowing nearly half a million people access to work permits and relief from deportation. The Quixote Center issued the following statement in response.
“We applaud the Biden Administration for extending more protections to Venezuelan families. Every day, our partner shelters in Latin America serve hundreds of Venezuelans fleeing instability and persecution. Each person we encounter shares a horrific story of what pushed them to flee their homes and the abuses they suffer on the migratory path.”
“We also celebrate the Administration’s efforts to accelerate the processing of work authorization for asylum seekers and other migrants, a crucial step in allowing our new neighbors to participate fully in their communities. We are, however, alarmed by the expansion of immigrant detention and surveillance, especially to increase and expedite the deportation of migrant families, including the planned deportation flight to Haiti next week.”
“TPS holders have proven for decades that legal pathways and work authorization for migrants benefit American communities as a whole, while deterrence-based migration policies are inhumane and ineffective at managing the humanitarian crisis at our southern border. We urge the Biden Administration to extend protections to more countries, such as Nicaragua and Cameroon, and continue to implement solutions that uphold and protect the dignity and humanity of migrants.”