Cherfilus-McCormick Demands Protections for Nicaraguans in United States

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick

Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) has sent a bipartisan letter to the Biden Administration demanding the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaraguans in the United States.

As DictatorDaniel Ortega tightens the iron grip with which he rules Nicaragua, thousands of migrans have sought refuge in the US and elsewhere.

Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick's letter has backing from nearly 300 groups, including Florida Immigrant Coalition, the American Friends Service Committee, and the Immigration Hub, along with Nicaraguan dissidents.

The letter describes the viciousness of the Ortega regime in detail. In addition to political repression and fraudulent elections, the Indio Maiz Biological Reserve suffered a catastrophic wildfire in 2018 that went ignored by the Ortega government, disproportionately affecting ethnic minorities in the region.

Moreover, the Catholic Church in Nicaragua suffers as the regime has banned pilgrimages, shut down Catholic media, and imprisoned clergy.

As such, Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick demanded the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The extension would prevent Nicaraguans in the US from being deported and protect their eligibility for work authorization because a safe return to their home country is impossible.

In a statement, Cherfilus-McCormick said she is "proud" to be part of this effort, adding that deporting Nicaraguans to be at the mercy of the Ortega regime is "deplorable" and only demonstrates why TPS must remain in place for them.

"I’m proud to join hardworking advocates and community leaders to shed light on the critical need to redesignate and extend TPS to Nicaragua. For many Nicaraguans, America is their home. To repatriate them to a country many have not been to for over 25 years is deplorable. The increasingly totalitarian nature of the Ortega-Murillo regime and the brutal political repression Nicaraguans face in their daily lives exacerbate the urgent need to redesignate and extend TPS to Nicaragua." Cherfilus-McCormick said.

Over 250,00 Nicaraguans have fled to the United States, including 222 political prisoners released in February.

Grayson Bakich

Florida born and raised, Grayson Bakich is a recent recipient of a Master’s Degree in Political Science at the University of Central Florida. His thesis examined recent trends in political polarization and how this leads into justification of violence.