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Venezuelans Announce National Summit Calling on Republican and Democratic Senators to Support a Path to Citizenship for all TPS

By April 11, 2021No Comments

Venezuelans Announce National Summit Calling on Republican and Democratic Senators to Support a Path to Citizenship for all TPS

The SECURE Act would provide a pathway to permanency to an estimated 650,000 TPS holders, including more than 320,000 Venezuelans, most of whom live in Florida

MIAMI, FL — Members of the Venezuelan diaspora will hold a virtual press conference on Tuesday, April 13 at 10 AM EST to call on Democratic and Republican senators to pass the SECURE Act, which would provide permanent protections to TPS holders from 12 countries, including Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. During the event, organizers will announce a national TPS summit to craft the path forward on the SECURE Act, which needs a Republican sponsor in the Senate, and 10 Republicans to avoid a filibuster. 

There are an estimated 200,000 Venezuelans eligible for TPS in Florida alone. The average TPS holder has been in the country for more than 20 years, contributing to our economy and helping us rebuild and recover from the pandemic. Many of them are mixed citizen/immigrant families who have purchased homes and opened businesses, paid taxes, attended schools and places of worship. Despite being an integral part of our communities, TPS holders live in a constant state of uncertainty, need to reapply to the program every 6 to 18 months and pay substantial fees. It is time to end the uncertainty and make these protections permanent so that families in states like Florida can move forward.

Speakers for the press conference include:

  • Kathy Bird Carvajal, IMPAC Fund
  • Maria Antonieta Diaz, Venezuelan American Alliance 
  • Denise Rincon, Director, Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts, Inc
  • Leopoldo Martinez, Center for Democracy and Development in the Americas (CDDA)
  • Al Cardenas, Former Chair of the Republican Party of Florida and Co-Chair of the American Business Immigration Coalition and IMPAC Fund 
  • Evelyn Perez Verdia, We Are Más

DETAILS

What: Virtual press conference to announce TPS summit

When: Tuesday, April 13 at 10 AM EST

Registration link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NqwLZDJqQU23jybNKMK4Fg

Press conference hosts: IMPAC Fund (Florida chapter of the American Business Immigration Coalition), Venezuelan American Alliance, Casa de Venezuela Orlando, Proyecto Pulso, Center for Democracy and Development in the Americas (CDDA), We Are Más, Florida Immigration Coalition (FLIC) and Mujeres Latinas.

Event cosponsors: Casa Venezolana – Americana, Illinois Venezuelan Alliance, Venezolanos en Sanford, Asociación de Venezolanos Puerto Rico, Casa de Venezuela Jacksonville, Venezuela USA Foundation, Casa de Venezuela Atlanta, Casa de Venezuela en SW Florida, Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts, Venezuela Para Ti, Casa de Venezuela Greater Philadelphia, Casa de Venezuela Delaware, and Avenext. 

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