Another Racist Decision

My heart is breaking. Again. It has happened a lot in the last year. The news today that the administration is ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from El Salvador is terrible. For seventeen years 200,000 people from El Salvador have lived in the United States, making friends, working, raising families (including many US born children), starting businesses, going to school…For seventeen years this has been their home. Regardless of any other issues, and there are plenty, that makes me question this decision. These are human beings who are being told they must leave their homes and livelihoods within the next ten months.

Many will also leave their families. Legally (if I’m understanding all I read) these individuals can take their children with them to El Salvador, but that seems unlikely.

El Salvador’s homicide rate — 108 per 100,000 people in 2015 — was the world’s highest for a country not at war, the most recent U.N. data shows.

Not only are these people being forced to leave the country that has been their home for nearly two decades, but they are being forced to return to a horrifying situation. El Salvador has the highest homicide rate for any country in the world that is not currently at war. That alone seems like a reason to continue TPS.

The economy in El Salvador is also an issue. Many people from El Salvador who live in the US send money to family members there. Deporting these individuals will hurt our economy (mayors of several large cities have argued against this due to the number of homeowners in their areas who will be impacted) and the economy of El Salvador.

I fail to see what we, as a country, gain from this move. I can see no argument for it beyond racism.

I am certain I have taught children whose families will be impacted by this decision. It breaks my heart. I wish I had any faith that Congress would step in and do the right thing.

These are my kiddos who didn’t miss a day of school in November and December. How many of them will have family members forced to leave?

Comments

2 responses to “Another Racist Decision”

  1. Jim Randolph (@library_jim) Avatar

    Those kids look safe and happy at least for right now and that’s something. I taught English Language Learners for years and heard many, mostly sad, stories. But listening seemed to help.

  2. jenorr Avatar
    jenorr

    Jim, I hope they feel safe and happy. That seems like a minimum hope for them at such young ages. I completely agree that listening helps. I just wish I could do more. Kids (and adults, to be honest) deserve better than we’re giving them these days.

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