Reps urge Biden, Mayorkas to redesignate temporary protected status for Nicaraguans

Dozens of House members signed a letter asking President Biden and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to redesignate temporary protected status for Nicaraguans on  Wednesday.

“We commend the Biden Administration’s decision to re-designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans in the United States,” the letter read. “However, an 18-month extension of TPS for Nicaragua instead of TPS redesignation falls short of the response needed to address the multiple ongoing and emergent crises.”

“Given this and the deteriorating rule of law situation, we urgently request your administration to re-designate TPS for Nicaragua,” the letter continued.

The letter, first reported on by Semafor, was signed by a broad swath of House members, including more centrist members like Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and more left-wing members like Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.). TPS protects foreign nationals from being forced to return to threatening circumstances.

The letter noted that the Central American country is “facing a socio-political and humanitarian crisis that has been worsening for years.”

“[Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s] regime has repeatedly violated human rights, suppressed political dissent, and engaged in acts of violence against its citizens,” the letter continued. “As recently as September 12, the United Nations has warned of escalating attacks against Nicaraguan civil society. Nicaraguan people have endured unimaginable suffering, with hundreds of thousands forced to flee their homes in search of safety and stability.”

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus also called on the Biden administration recently for the redesignation of TPS for Nicaragua alongside other countries including El Salvador, Honduras and Nepal. 

“These TPS holders have endured five years of uncertainty, confusion, and multiple notices to auto-extend their status,” wrote the lawmakers.