DC Area Clergy Call on Trump Administration to Save TPS at White House Rally
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT
Michelle Nealy, mnealy@faithinpubliclife.org, (202)735-7123
Sara Benitez, sbenitez@faithinpubliclife.org, (202)280-9284
DC-Area Clergy Call on Trump Administration to Save TPS at White House Rally
WASHINGTON, DC — On Tuesday, October 17th, interfaith clergy and advocates rallied outside of the White House to call on the Trump administration to preserve Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for all ten affected countries and keep our families and communities whole. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program gives legal status to people from countries experiencing natural disaster, armed conflict, or er extraordinary conditions that make return unsafe. This is a moral imperative: to protect hundreds of thousands of people in the United States who cannot return home because of war or natural disasters.
For photos click here. To watch the livestream video click here.
Rev. Maria Swearingen, Senior Co-Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church (Washington, DC):
“I stand here today because my moral conscience as a pastor compels me to care deeply about the lives of people who have contributed their time, energy, love, intelligence, family life, not to mention economic resources, to this country. I know our promises as a country should not be temporary. I know that our commitments to people should not be temporary.”
Ms. Corina Lopez, TPS holder from El Salvador and member, Calvary Baptist Church (Washington, DC):
“Sixteen years have passed and now I see myself and thousands of more people living in the unexpected, like in a bad dream not knowing what will happen to us to our dreams and our families. Today, I’m here to beg this Administration to be just and humane. I want to implore President Trump to approve the extension for the Temporary Protective Status.”
Rev. Dr. Sharon Stanley-Rea, Director, Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries (RIM)
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the U.S. & Canada (Washington, DC):
“We will not stop our faith commitment to Temporary Protected Status. We won’t stop because we are inspired by affected communities. TPS upholds family stability, invests in humanitarian community building, strengthens national security, supports both the U.S. and home countries economically and saves lives by not sending people back into dangerous conditions.”
Pastor Jean Willeme Thomas, President, Haitian Coalition of Delmarva, & Pastor, Federalsburg Haitian Church of the Nazarene (Federalsburg, MD):
“For the past 6 years the administration has given [the people of Haiti] an opportunity to grow. They cannot afford to go back to Haiti right now. The country is not safe. I ask the administration, please renew the TPS. Help us stay.”
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