DHS responds to FilAm push for temporary protected status for PH

By Balitang America

Dec. 19, 2013

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – The US Department of Homeland Security responded to a request from on the Filipino community to place Filipinos with expiring or expired visas in the US on temporary protected status as the Philippines recovers from Typhoon Yolanda.

The community, through the leadership of the Washington, DC-based FilAm organization Migrant Heritage Commission, first reached out to the Obama government through a letter on Nov. 11, nine days after the super storm hit the Philippines.

The letter asked the DHS to allow Filipinos to temporarily stay and work in the US so they can continue supporting their families and loved-ones affected by the calamity.

In a letter to the Filipino community through the Migrant Heritage Commission dated Dec. 16, DHS Director Alejandro Mayorkas said, “As the US government makes it decision to grant TPS to Filipinos there are already immigration relief measures in place for the Philippines.”

These include:

• Change or extension of status.

• Extensions of certain grants of parole and expedited processing of advance parole requests.

• Expedited adjudication of employment authorization where appropriate.

• Assistance to lawful permanent residents who are stranded overseas, without immigration or travel documentation.

• Expedited processing of immigrant petitions for immediate relatives of US citizens.

The letter ends with Mayorkas assuring the community that the DHS is committed to assisting populations in need all over the world.

Attorney Arnedo Valera of the Migrant Heritage Commission asked the Filipino community, as well as the international community, to reach to their local and federal officials to push for the passage of TPS.