Over the years we have seen how much immigrants have been affected by unjust immigration policies. A designated humanitarian protection that exists in the U.S. for specific undocumented immigrant communities is in jeopardy of being stripped away. This protection is known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS). There are an estimated 354,645 TPS holders in the U.S., with 254,550 being Central American nationals. Under new redesignations, TPS beneficiaries from El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras would have their immigration protections extended for a determined amount of time by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. One thing to know is that there is no pathway to permanent residency status for TPS recipients. Ahead of creating this petition, Seeds of Resistance/ American Friends Service Committee (FL) launched a letter drive with directly impacted immigrants and refugees outside of the Miramar ICE Facility in Florida in which we denounced the unjust treatment of immigrants and the need for real relief for migrants. In addition, we urged Secretary Mayorkas, President Biden, and Secretary Blinken to redesignate TPS for El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras and issue a new TPS designation for Guatemala. Secretary Mayorkas has the power to designate a country for TPS when a country is facing the following conditions: 1) Ongoing armed conflict (such as civil war); 2) An environmental disaster (such as an earthquake or hurricane), or an epidemic; 3) Other extraordinary and temporary circumstances that prevent a safe return to a person's country of origin. During a designated period, individuals who are TPS beneficiaries or who are found preliminary eligible for TPS upon initial review of their case. 1) Are not removable from the United States; 2) Can obtain an employment authorization document (EAD); 3) May be granted travel authorization. In addition to urging the Biden administration to issue new TPS designations for Central American nationals, we also affirm the need for our government to divest from the immigrant detention apparatus and instead invest in case management programs that help immigrants find legal representation to guide them through the immigration court system, and connect them with other community resources that are successful and more affordable.

Petition English Version here: https://somos.presente.org/petitions/tell-president-daniel-ortega-to-free-opposition-leaders-in-nicaragua En diciembre de 2020, Nicaragua aprobó una ley que otorga al gobierno del presidente Daniel Ortega el poder de designar unilateralmente a los ciudadanos como "traidores a la patria" y prohibirles postularse a cargos de elección popular. “La legislación castiga a quienes 'lideran o financian un golpe ... fomentan la injerencia extranjera, piden una intervención militar ... proponen o planifican bloqueos económicos, aplauden y defienden la imposición de sanciones contra Nicaragua o sus ciudadanos'”. De ser acusadas, las personas serían consideradas "traidoras de la patria" y por esa razón no pueden postularse para cargos públicos ". En Nicaragua, las personas acusadas de traición podrían enfrentar hasta 15 años en prisión. Tras la sanción de esta ley, en mayo y junio de 2021, la Policía Nacional de Nicaragua arrestó a quince líderes de la oposición. Los familiares de muchas de las personas detenidas dicen que desconocen su paradero y que no han tenido acceso a representación legal. Durante décadas, las comunidades migrantes y latinas en los EE. UU. han alzado sus voces en solidaridad con los pueblos de América Latina, y hoy es importante que ejerzamos nuestro poder y autoridad moral uniéndonos al pueblo nicaragüense para luchar contra la injusticia. Bajo el gobierno opresivo del presidente Ortega, las voces fuera de Nicaragua se vuelven aún más importantes. Firme esta petición y pídale al presidente Daniel Ortega que dé a conocer el paradero de los líderes de la oposición y los libere de inmediato. Referencias: Associated Press. “Nicaragua arrests 5 more opposition leaders in crackdown.” Washington Post. 13 de junio de 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/nicaragua-arrests-more-opposition-leaders-in-crackdown/2021/06/13/619f39c0-cc69-11eb-a224-bd59bd22197c_story.html Salcedo, Andrea. “Nicaragua’s government has arrested a dozen opposition leaders. Their relatives don’t know where they are.” Washington Post. 15 de junio de 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/06/15/nicaragua-arrests-ortega-opponents-candidates/

Version en español aqui: https://somos.presente.org/petitions/exijamos-al-presidente-ortega-que-libere-a-los-lideres-de-la-oposicion-en-nicaragua In December 2020, Nicaragua passed a law giving President Daniel Ortega’s government the power to unilaterally label citizens as “traitors to the homeland”, and ban them from running as electoral candidates. “The law punishes those ‘who lead or finance a coup ... encourage foreign interference, ask for military intervention ...propose or plan economic blockades, applaud and champion the imposition of sanctions against Nicaragua or its citizens.’” If charged, the accused would be considered “traitors to the homeland” and for that reason may not run for public office.” In Nicaragua, people accused of treason could face up to 15 years in prison. Following the passage of this law, in May and June of 2021, Nicaragua’s National Police arrested fifteen opposition leaders. Many relatives of those arrested say they don’t know their whereabouts and that they haven’t had access to attorneys. For decades Latinx and migrant communities in the U.S. have raised their voices in solidarity with the people of Latin America, and today it’s important that we exercise our power and moral authority by joining the Nicaraguan people to push back against injustice. Under President Ortega’s oppressive rule, voices outside of Nicaragua become even more important. Sign this petition and call on President Daniel Ortega to let the public know the whereabouts of opposition leaders and to free them immediately. References: Associated Press. “Nicaragua arrests 5 more opposition leaders in crackdown.” Washington Post. June 13, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/nicaragua-arrests-more-opposition-leaders-in-crackdown/2021/06/13/619f39c0-cc69-11eb-a224-bd59bd22197c_story.html Salcedo, Andrea. “Nicaragua’s government has arrested a dozen opposition leaders. Their relatives don’t know where they are.” Washington Post. June 15, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/06/15/nicaragua-arrests-ortega-opponents-candidates/