IF you are still hoping immigration reform will pass this 2014, you may be in for a big disappointment.
In a 180-degree turn from his more optimistic tone in January, House Speaker John Boehner now says that is not likely to happen this year, all because of President Barack Obama.
Speaker Boehner said his colleagues in the Republican-led House of Representatives do not trust that the President would follow and implement legislations passed by Congress, and so they had to put immigration reform in the back burner for now. This, despite Obama’s record number of deportations of undocumented immigrants — a fact which infuriates his liberal base.
Another reason for the delay in tackling immigration reform was reportedly political. They think the debate within the GOP on immigration reform will reflect a divided party.
Republicans in Congress facing reelection do not want to lose their seats to Tea Party candidates in the coming midterm elections.
They also reportedly want to win back the leadership in the Senate before they go full force in immigration reform.
And so kababayans whose visas have expired and are about to expire, including most of the almost 1 million undocumented Filipinos in the United States, would have to pray hard that the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the Philippines be granted, in order for them to obtain legal status in America, albeit temporarily.
Anytime now, the Obama administration may be announcing its decision to either grant or deny the call for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the Philippines.
Of course, it can still go either way — that is why TPS advocates need the Filipino community’s help for the last push for TPS for the Philippines.
TPS is a humanitarian relief granted to foreign nationals in the United States when their country of origin suffers from a calamity, such as the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda.
If granted, TPS will allow thousands of undocumented Filipinos in the United States to stay legally for at least 18 months, obtain work authorization, and be able to travel and yes, visit the Philippines.
Filipino community leaders and organizations have joined forces, together with Atty. Arnedo Valera and the Migrant Heritage Commission. They are the proponents, who first wrote the Obama administration, advocating for TPS for the Philippines a few days after it was ravaged by Typhoon Yolanda.
They have been meeting with officials of the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security to present arguments, which support the TPS designation for the Philippines.
Now, it is a matter of waiting. But there is still a lot the community can do to push the Obama administration to grant TPS for the Philippines.
Callin’ in and Jammin’ up
Fil-Am community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis made the appeal to Filipinos on Balitang America to help in the last push for TPS through the “Callin’ in and Jammin’ up lines campaign for TPS.”
Lewis said kababayans should tirelessly call the Obama administration’s comment hotlines (indicated below) “to increase pressure and provide positive recommendation for TPS for the Philippines.”
For those needing guidance, Lewis suggests following this script when you call and leave your message:
State Department Comment Line: (202)647-6575
Press: 4 for operator then ask for comment line. After message press # and then 2 to make priority and then # to send.
MESSAGE: “Temporary Protected Status for the Philippines must be designated. I urge Secretary of State John Kerry and request that the Department of State recommend to the Department of Homeland Security that TPS be designated for the Philippines. My name is (say name) from (say city and state).”
DHS Comment Line: (202)282-8495
MESSAGE: “Temporary Protected Status for the Philippines must be designated. I urge Department of Homeland Security that TPS be designated for the Philippines. My name is (say name) from (say city and state).”
White House Comment Line: (202)456-1111
MESSAGE: “Temporary Protected Status for the Philippines must be designated. I urge President Obama that TPS be designated for the Philippines. My name is (say name) from (say city and state)
If you supportTPS for the Philippines, please call the State Department, DHS and the White House with the same passion and intensity that many of our kababayans demonstrated, when they voted for Jessica Sanchez in American Idol.
DO IT NOW.
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
