AJR 8

Introduced by Assembly Member Haney
Relative to immigration.
immigration
Immigration: Temporary Protected Status.
This measure would condemn decisions by the administrations of President Donald J. Trump to terminate or curtail Temporary Protected Status designations for people from specified nations, denounce federal policies that strip lawful status from long-residing individuals, as specified, and urge Congress to enact bipartisan legislation that provides a path to permanent residency and citizenship for individuals with Temporary Protected Status.
WHEREAS, Temporary Protected Status is a humanitarian program established under the Immigration Act of 1990 that provides temporary legal status and work authorization to nationals of countries experiencing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions; and
WHEREAS, The first administration of President Donald J. Trump ordered the termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for people from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti, Sudan, Nepal, and other nations, affecting more than 325,000 individuals across the United States, including an estimated 68,000 residents of the State of California, which has one of the largest populations of Temporary Protected Status recipients outside of the State of Florida; and
WHEREAS, Individuals with Temporary Protected Status contribute significantly to the State of California’s economy, workforce, and communities, including approximately 49,000 Salvadorans and 6,000 Hondurans in California, many of whom have lived in the United States for more than 20 years and are parents to United States citizen children; and
WHEREAS, During the current administration, President Donald J. Trump has renewed efforts to restrict humanitarian immigration protections, including Temporary Protected Status, by pledging to dramatically reduce the number of recipients, limit future designations, and expedite deportations of long-settled residents, with recent United States Department of Homeland Security policy reviews targeting nationals from countries including Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua for potential removal from the program; and
WHEREAS, The Trump administration has also directed federal agencies to reassess country conditions for current Temporary Protected Status holders using narrower legal criteria, and has publicly stated its intent to end what it describes as “indefinite protection” for nationals of countries that have previously experienced armed conflict or natural disasters, disregarding the longstanding presence and integration of these individuals into United States society; and
WHEREAS, The removal of legal status from individuals with Temporary Protected Status will cause immense harm to hundreds of thousands of families, including an estimated 275,000 children who are citizens of the United States and who may be separated from one or both parents or face the threat of family dissolution; and
WHEREAS, The economic contributions of individuals with Temporary Protected Status are substantial, with over 80 percent participating in the workforce and generating more than $2,700,000,000 in annual economic output in California alone, as well as supporting local budgets through homeownership, property taxes, and state and local tax payments; and
WHEREAS, The City and County of San Francisco is home to an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 residents with Temporary Protected Status, many of whom are long-term residents from El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua who have become essential contributors to the region’s workforce and civic life; and
WHEREAS, The State of California recognizes the humanitarian, moral, and economic consequences of eliminating protections for people who have lived lawfully in the United States for decades under Temporary Protected Status and who are deeply embedded in our communities, schools, workplaces, and local economies; now, therefore, be it
 Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly,  That the Legislature condemns the decisions by the administrations of President Donald J. Trump, both past and current, to terminate or curtail Temporary Protected Status designations for people from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti, and other affected nations, and denounces any federal policies that seek to strip lawful status from long-residing individuals who have contributed to the State of California’s economy, raised families, and made this state their home; and be it further
 Resolved,  That the Legislature urges the Congress of the United States to enact bipartisan legislation that provides a path to permanent residency and eventual citizenship for individuals with Temporary Protected Status who have lawfully resided in the United States for many years, in recognition of their essential role in our state’s communities and economy; and be it further
 Resolved,  That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from the State of California in the Congress of the United States.