Letter to Michael Chertoff, Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Letter

Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-CA), along with nine of her colleagues in Congress, sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff asking him to re-designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaraguan and Honduran nationals to include more recent arrivals residing in the United States.

TPS allows nationals of countries in crisis who are presently in the U.S. to continue to live and work legally in the U.S. until the designated period expires. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is authorized to designate a country's nationals eligible for TPS if there has been an environmental disaster resulting in a substantial but temporary disruption of living conditions in the area affected, the affected country is temporarily unable to handle the return of its nationals, and its government has officially requested TPS be granted.

Last September, Hurricane Felix, a Category 5 storm, hit Nicaragua and Honduras on and left more than 130 people dead, 86 missing, and destroyed 19,000 homes. The House of Representatives recognized damage of Hurricane Felix when it passed H.Res.642 on September 25, 2007.

A copy of the letter and list of signers can be found below.

November 15, 2007

The Honorable Michael Chertoff
Secretary
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528

Dear Secretary Chertoff:

In response to Hurricane Felix, I am writing to request that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) use its authority under the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L.107-296) to re-designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaraguan and Honduran nationals to include more recent arrivals residing in the United States. Hurricane Felix, a Category 5 storm, hit Nicaragua and Honduras on September 4, 2007, and left at least 130 people dead, 86 missing, and destroyed 19,000 homes.

On December 30, 1998, TPS was designated for Honduran and Nicaraguan nationals because of the extraordinary displacement and damage from Hurricane Mitch. The current designation continues to reflect the original eligibility requirements that were established when TPS was first designated to Nicaragua and Honduras. To benefit from TPS, Nicaraguan and Honduran nationals must show that they have been continuously physically present in the U.S. since December 30, 1998. Considering the devastating effects of Hurricane Felix, a new designation date would allow more recent arrivals who have been negatively impacted by the hurricane to benefit from TPS.

Congress recognized damage of Hurricane Felix when it passed H.Res.642 on September 25, 2007. Re-designating TPS for Nicaraguans and Hondurans will help the ongoing mission of humanitarian aid and reconstruction in the region. I hope DHS will use its authority to re-designate TPS. I respectfully request a response to this letter by November 28, 2007.

Sincerely,

HILDA L. SOLIS (D-CA)
HOWARD L. BERMAN (D-CA)
ELIOT L. ENGEL (D-NY)
RAUìL M. GRIJALVA (D-AZ)
LUIS V. GUTIERREZ (D-IL)
ALCEE L. HASTINGS (D-FL)
MICHAEL M. HONDA (D-CA)
JAMES P. MORAN (D-VA)
JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY (D-IL)
JOSEì E. SERRANO (D-NY)