North Miami-Dade News

Washington, D.C. - Chairwoman María Elvira Salazar, along with several other representatives, has penned a letter urging officials in the Biden Administration to redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaraguans. The letter highlights the brutal regime of Ortega-Murillo and the Sandinistas, and the dire human rights abuses and religious persecutions they have perpetrated.

Salazar emphasizes the need for TPS redesignation, stating, "I call on the Department of Homeland Security to redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaraguans who are continuing to flee from the Ortegas, the Sandinistas, and the horrors of Socialism of the 21st Century." She argues that hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans have fled the tyranny of the regime and are seeking refuge in the United States.

The Pew Research Center estimates that Florida has the highest concentration of Nicaraguans nationwide, with approximately 37% of the U.S.-based Nicaraguan population residing in the state. Redesignating TPS for Nicaraguans would provide security and opportunity to millions of Nicaraguans living in the United States who are currently in legal limbo.

The Ortega-Murillo regime has a history of human rights violations, particularly against those who profess the Catholic faith. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick highlights the dire situation in Nicaragua, stating, "Nicaragua is enmeshed in a dire socio-political and humanitarian crisis that has grown considerably worse." She emphasizes that Nicaraguans residing in the United States cannot safely return to their country and urges the Biden Administration to redesignate TPS for Nicaragua.

Rep. Joaquin Castro echoes this sentiment, stating that as the regime becomes increasingly authoritarian and brutal, there is no safe way for hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans to return home. He emphasizes that redesignating TPS for Nicaragua will save lives and protect the families who have fled from oppression and violence to find refuge in the United States.

Rep. Maxwell Frost also supports the call for TPS redesignation, emphasizing the devastating political and humanitarian crisis in Nicaragua. He states, "Nicaragua is facing a devastating political and humanitarian crisis that is forcing hundreds of thousands of innocent people to make the difficult decision to leave their homes in search of true freedom." Frost urges the administration to offer a more permanent solution to the thousands of Nicaraguans living in Florida and across the country.

The representatives also commend the Biden Administration's decision to re-designate TPS for Venezuelans in the United States. However, they argue that an 18-month extension of TPS for Nicaragua falls short of the response needed to address the multiple ongoing crises. They express hope that the administration will re-evaluate the situation and make the correct decision in light of the impact it would have on the approximately 450,000 Nicaraguans in the United States.

Chairwoman Salazar is a leading voice in the effort to liberate the Nicaraguan people from the Ortega-Murillo regime. She has taken vital steps to hold the regime accountable and support Nicaraguan exiles abroad through the Nicaraguan Political Prisoner Support Act.

The letter, which can be found here, urges the Biden Administration to re-designate TPS for Nicaragua in light of the dire humanitarian situation and the uncertainty faced by thousands of Nicaraguans residing in the United States.

With 450,000 Nicaraguan Americans living in the United States, the issue of TPS redesignation holds significant importance. Chairwoman Salazar represents over 30,000 Nicaraguan Americans in Florida's 27th congressional district.

To learn more, click on this link: https://salazar.house.gov/media/press-releases/salazar-urges-biden-administration-officials-redesignate-tps-nicaraguans