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Challenging Injustice, Advancing Human Rights

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee advances human rights through grassroots collaborations.

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Alianza Nacional TPS/National TPS Alliance

A grassroots alliance of immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from more than 13 different nations fighting for a path to permanent residency in the country that is their home.
A group of people at a TPS demonstration in Washington DC

Location: Los Angeles, California

The National TPS Alliance was formed and led by Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries from across the United States, combining advocacy efforts at a national level to save TPS for all beneficiaries in the short term and devise legislation that creates a path to permanent residency in the long term.

The National TPS Alliance organizes collectively to preserve the fairness, respect, and dignity of those who hold TPS. When the Trump administration moved to radically scale back the TPS program and cancel TPS for hundreds of thousands of immigrants, there was no accountability for these decisions, which placed TPS families in untenable positions. There was also no adequate analysis provided of country conditions in the decision-making processes that led to the majority of TPS designations’ termination. The TPS alliance works to change that by restoring TPS protections and securing a path to permanent residency for all TPS holders. 

The biggest impact of the work is new base building and growth amongst their youth nationally. As a result of their work, seven new members were added to the national youth committee, youth who continue to be involved and are working to grow their local committee. In March of 2021, the first national retreat took place. New youth were welcomed, legislative priorities were identified, and a new work plan was presented.

UUSC believes it is important to be in partnership with The National TPS Alliance because TPS’s termination is a considerable threat to hundreds of thousands of people in migration and their families.

In 2018, the National TPS Alliance was very successful in uplifting TPS holders’ profiles by traveling to 32 states and 70 cities in the span of 12 weeks on a bus called “La Libertad” (Liberty Bus). This “Journey 4 Justice” bus tour on La Libertad included workshops, marches, in-district legislative visits, and establishing new committees. In 2021, the organization committed to taking on a new journey through seven southern/midwestern states, with its TPS Youth Committee taking the lead.

Image Credit: Alianza Nacional TPS/National TPS Alliance

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