Miami’s Mayor asks for TPS for Venezuelans!
Miami, US, Jan 4 (EFE).-
Eileen Higgins, the mayor of Miami, requested on Sunday that the United States government reestablish Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelan migrants as the situation in Venezuela remains dangerous and unstable following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday.
The Democratic politician said that Venezuela is still unsafe for people to return to, and that no one should be forced to return to chaos and uncertainty.
Higgins emphasized that the Venezuelan community in Miami, the largest in the US, has made significant contributions to the city. “The elimination of the Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan residents is ill-timed, reckless, and dangerous,” the mayor said in a CBS interview.
The US government eliminated TPS for Venezuelans, affecting around 350,000 people, arguing that conditions in the country had improved, a decision that will result in the loss of protection against deportation and work authorization for those affected.
Higgins also underscored the city’s solidarity with Venezuelan residents who “have waited decades for a moment of hope” in reference to the US military operation that ended on Saturday with the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Meanwhile, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also spoke out in favor of TPS for Venezuelans.
She stressed that eliminating TPS was an imprudent and dangerous decision that leaves too many people without legal avenues to remain in the US, even while Venezuela remains unsafe.
“From the end of TPS to the reduction of protections for those who already have legal status, we know that many families fled the brutal regimes of (Hugo) Chávez and Maduro, facing political persecution,” said Levine Cava in a statement.
The mayor, who is also a Democrat, celebrated Maduro’s departure but criticized the manner in which it occurred, as it sets a bad precedent.
“Although Nicolás Maduro’s illegitimate presidency has come to an end, what comes next is extremely critical. We are still learning the full scope of the US’s actions,” she said.
The Democrat questioned the Trump administration for taking military action without congressional approval or bipartisan reports.
“I am concerned about how this was carried out. The demonstration of military aggression raises serious questions about the American president’s plans for the coming days,” she added.
She emphasized that many families are watching these actions closely because they truly desire a peaceful change that will finally end the dictatorship and overcome the era of the Cháves regime.
Maduro and his wife are currently imprisoned in New York, facing formal charges for serious crimes linked to drug trafficking and the use of weaponry for criminal purposes. EFE
ims/dgp
