The proposal seeks to grant permanent residency to people who have lived and worked in the U.S. for more than three decades.

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Houston, TX — Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients who are part of CRECEN Houston’s membership  applaud the reintroduction of H.R.6, a bill that seeks to provide permanent residency to TPS beneficiaries and other immigrant populations who lack a protected immigration status. The bill is spearheaded by Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29).

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“We have lobbied Congress in the past to gain support in both chambers and we are ready again to walk the halls of Congress to get it passed,” said Teodoro Aguiluz, executive director of CRECEN Houston, an organization that has been supporting the TPS community for more than 30 years. “Our community members with TPS have deep roots in the United States, have children who are U.S. citizens, are active in faith communities, and provide employment to U.S. citizens. Many have lived continuously in this country for more than 30 years.

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HR6 first came to fruition in 2019 when it was introduced and voted in favor by the House of Representatives under the leadership of Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez. Velazquez and former Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard subsequently reintroduced it in 2021. “I am proud to lead the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act (HR6). We need a path forward for permanent residency for TPS beneficiaries. No family should be separated. We must prioritize bipartisan solutions over political games. It is time for real solutions that invest in America’s immigration system to ensure it remains a country of hope and opportunity for all of us,” said Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia.

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“We are here today in support of Representative Garcia, HR6, and to tell legislators that it is time to move forward with a law that will benefit the entire United States: it will maintain our safety, help strengthen the economy, and give stability to thousands of people,” said Clara Donicia Santos Sandoval, a TPS beneficiary living in Houston.

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“Permanent residency for my aunt and uncle, who are my legal guardians, would help us solve the uncertainty we have lived in for years. The fear of my family being separated is real. We live in difficult times with local anti-immigrant laws that have increased racism and contempt for migrants. My family and I deserve to live with dignity and make long-term plans. If it becomes law, HR6 will allow me to realize my dreams alongside my family, celebrate my victories, and have them by my side to encourage me to move forward,” said Alejandra Gabriela Melgar Benitez, niece of TPS beneficiaries from El Salvador.

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CRECEN Houston is a community based non-profit organization in the city of Houston, Texas. We are currently in the process of acquiring legal status, under the status of 501 © 3. The organization under the new status will be called: CRECEN Community in Action. Our fiscal agency is Alianza Americas. For almost four decades we have built a network of volunteers who participate and engage in outreach and community involvement campaigns and programs to strengthen their lives and the development of their neighborhoods.

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Alianza Americas is the premier transnational advocacy network of Latin American migrant-led organizations working in the United States, across the Americas, and globally to create an inclusive, equitable and sustainable way of life for communities across North, Central and South America.