I
came from Honduras, and I've been living here since 1997, 1998.
New York was the epicenter of the pandemic and it was a stress
everywhere.
Temporary protective status, like its name, it's temporary.
It's designated for about six to 18 months,
and once the expiration date comes nearer,
they look at the country conditions again and see if it meets the original
designation conditions. And they either see that, you know,
be terminated or extended.
During.
The pandemic, I used to live a lot around five in the morning and come back
around 7:30, 8:00 PM. That was every day for eight weeks.
Come October, if this ends,
then we lose a lot of people like Erasmo.
And that is a terrible loss for the country. You spend.
20 Years working for X and Y institution, and now we don't need you.
You have to go now.
Our contribution has to be respected and valued and acknowledged
that we are part of the American society.
I remember that day. I couldn't believe that.
I never expect he was going to do it, but at the same time,
he gave us the power to keep fighting.
And I think that while we are doing this, that day he canceled the TPS,
we haven't stopped.
It will be good for us to start getting some solid
of how many people will benefit if TPS restated and expanded.
I was born in El Salvador, 1976.
In 1980, a civil war started.
There were moments that my parents didn't have enough money to even buy food.
Or they were moments that my parents were dreaming about us going to
school, but we have no clothes. We have no shoes.
Valentina say hi to Paolo. Hi Paolo.
So we grew up with a dream that, you know,
the United States is that place where you can go and achieve dreams and
opportunities.
My wife and I, we met in El Salvador,
and we have been together for the last 22, 23 years.
And we have four kids,
all of them born here in the U.S. This is the place where I live,
and this is the place where I want my kids to grow up.
And as every parent, you want the best place for your kids and that's,
you know what I have done.
So where you are looking here is all the different work
authorizations I have applied for in my last 22
years. All of them cost $485.
Every time that we renew it. It Temporary.
So we have been, always think like we only have one year,
we only have one year and a half,
always getting nervous about what's going to happen next.
Things like that always brings on difficulties like making long-term plans.
I have four nephews. They are like my children.
They are living with me since they were born.
And also really good at math. My high school in math was like 97,
but I didn't really like the other stuff.
But you have to be consistent. Nothing will come in just like that,
you have to work on it. I finished my education here.
I finished my bachelor degree here. I have my master. I finished here.
I own this house with my sister and my brothers.
I have nothing in El Salvador. 22 years later,
I work as a paralegal and I have learned how the legal system in the United
States work. If I go back to El Salvador,
I am sure that I'm not going to be able to find a job over there because I don't
understand the Salvadorian law. Some.
Of these countries like Honduras and El Salvador have had
TPS since 2001,1999. And that,
because they've been here for a while, they also have children.
You are citizen children. They have really deep roots in the communities,
any TPS or legal status for people who've been here that long.
That means you're probably going to be splitting up families.
I think that that should be a pathway for permanent residency.
Some people say is a free pass. I don't think so.
I think we have earned the opportunity through our
work, through our commitment to the country.
There is nothing temporary about what our family's life.
I ask that you'll be proud to stand with us and help us and look past the
word,
permanent residents for hundreds of thousands of TPS families who call
this country home.
What they do need is, um, a more permanent solution. And, uh,
the Treatment Promise Act provided that for them.
I consider myself that I am part of this nation and be served to be valued what
I'm doing.
It's unfathomable to realize that we're going to be taking out these workers
from these very important industries like hospitals,
which seems counter-intuitive.
And then also really separating children and families .
COVID-19 is charring the two faces of the American
society. And one, we thank you for your work and your sacrifice.
And the other one is we don't need you.
I think if the United States is really serious about respecting
people who are willing to put their life at risk to give this country running,
it's just one more reason why they should do it.
The action thing is start by talking with family members at home
and friends in the neighborhood to calling legislators,
to motivate them to pass a legislation.