Christi Fraga takes a stand on ending of TPS for Venezuelans
DORAL, FL – On Feb. 2, the Trump administration made another move as part of the series of orders he has been signing to enforce his immigration policy. This time, the president ended the Temporary Protected Status, or T.P.S., for more than 300,000 Venezuelans in the United States, rolling back the decision of his predecessor, Joe Biden, of extending the program for 18 months.
Under the new mandate, those who received the protections in 2023 will lose their temporary status 60 days after the government publishes the termination notice.
In the face of this, City of Doral Mayor, Christi Fraga, took a stand on the matter during a press conference Monday, Feb. 3, that aimed to present a new aggressive driving unit unveiled by Doral Police.
“I am in favor of a procedure that ensures the people who are here are people who have followed our laws, are going to respect them moving forward and are productive members of our society,” said Christi to a group of reporters that questioned her about the matter given she is the leader of a city that is home to one of the largest Venezuelan communities in the U.S.
When asked about what is going to happen to the Venezuelan workers and businesses that have to leave the country if a solution doesn’t appear before the 60-days term, she said she hopes “we don’t get to that point.”
“I’m advocating hard with federal legislators and we’re going to continue be in communication, so they bring a measure that allows the revision of the cases pertinent to those who should stay. Now, a lot of those people had another active status, such as a business, investor or student visa, in addition to the TPS. I think we need to work with all of them.”
She also said following the announcement made by the Trump administration she didn’t immediately want to talk without having all the necessary information regarding how this decision can actually impact the lives of those affected.
“But now knowing this decision was taken, I have spent time talking with people to understand what can be done. We don’t know exactly what that is, but there will be some mechanism to review the cases of everyone who is fleeing from an oppressive regime and are productive to our society.”
She disagrees with the premise made by the Trump administration, that was used as basis for the suspension of the TPS, that the conditions in Venezuela in terms of economy, crime and health have improved.
“No, I don’t think things in Venezuela are better now. There’s plenty of evidence that this is not the case as its democracy isn’t honest and last elections’ results weren’t honored. It’s a communist regime, which is very dangerous and something our country has always fought against.”
To the Venezuelans living in Doral, Christi encourages them to be patient and seek help from an accredited attorney that can guide them every step of the way. “Be in the lookout of all the communication releases we will be sending to help them during this process.”
Before her statements to the press, on Sunday night the mayor posted via Instagram the three letters she sent to President Donald Trump, Vice President James D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging them to consider a solution for those who have followed the rules.
“As Mayor, I am receiving a flood of concerns from families who have relied on the legal protections afforded to them and now face an uncertain future. Many arrived legally, in exile from a totalitarian regime hostile to the U.S. and have used TPS as a means to maintain their status in accordance with U.S. immigration laws,” reads part of the letter sent to Trump.
“These Venezuelan exiles have respected our laws, worked hard, paid taxes, educated their children in our schools, and integrated into our nation’s communities. These Venezuelan exiles are not illegal immigrants, nor are they criminals we all agree should be removed from our country. They are business owners, students, teachers, professionals, and workers who have played a role in the prosperity of cities like Doral…I know all of us can agree that it is equally important to recognize that many TPS holders are not part of this crisis.”