Several leaders of the Colombian community in the United States sent a letter to the president of Colombia, Ivan Duke, asking him to ask his American counterpart, Joe Biden, a legal protection tothousands of undocumented Colombians“they could”strengthen” the economy from both countries.
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“Currently we are more than two million Colombians who reside in the United States and actively contribute in countless fields such as business (…), however, a significant percentage of our population (…) in the United States they are undocumented“Says the letter dated Miami.
The letter asks Duque to propose to the US government to grant undocumented Colombians a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) that allows them to work legally.
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“The fundamental objective of our petition is that the thousands of undocumented Colombians can make a contribution not only to their own families, but also to the economy of the United States.“, reads the document.
The letter says that, as an alternative to TPS, Biden could be asked for a immigration benefit known as Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), or Deferred Mandatory Departure, whose beneficiaries are not subject to removal from the United States for a designated period of time.
Both of them “mechanisms“They are contemplated within the executive powers of the President of the United States, the letter points out.
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The document is signed, among others, by Alfred Santamaría, leader of the Colombian group in Miami, and Juan David Velez, representative of the Chamber of Colombians Abroad.
“More than 200,000 Colombians do not even have the possibility of a work permit, which is necessary so that our compatriots have the option to progress and contribute to the US economy.“, indicates the letter sent to Duke.
“Many of these Colombians have even been in the dark for decades” without hope of legal status, Add.
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The signatories do not fail to mention the “recognition of the international community“for the creation of the Government of Colombia of the Temporary Protection Status for Venezuelan Migrants, announced in February 2021.
“Dear President Duque, this commendable action led by you was even applauded by the UN as a humanitarian act of solidarity with the Venezuelan people.“, reads the text, also signed by the immigration lawyer Luis Victoria.
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Victoria told the agency EFE that, at this time, there are about 300,000 undocumented Colombians in the US, that is, 100,000 more than those included in the letter.
EFE
