(Sacramento) - Today, Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles) presented House Resolution (HR) 69 in the Assembly Committee on Judiciary. The measure, presented on the eve of an Assembly Delegation mission to El Salvador co-led by Carrillo, calls for the President to reverse his decision to terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for El Salvador and urges him to work with Congress to find a legislative solution to establish permanent legal resident status for Salvadorans who were granted TPS. HR 69 passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee on a 7 to 0 vote.
“As an immigrant from El Salvador, it’s my duty to shine light on President Trump’s misguided decision to end TPS,” said Assemblymember Carrillo. “HR 69 builds upon California’s commitment to protect our communities and the hardworking people in them. Our state is home to 49,000 Salvadorans and in just 18 months they could face removal from the U.S. and the inevitable split of thousands of families at a tragic human cost. I will continue fighting for solutions to find routes to permanent residency for Salvadorans.”
Forty nine thousand Salvadorans protected by TPS call California home. They participate in the labor force at a rate of 88% and 25% of them pay mortgages. The leading industries they work in are construction, restaurants, landscaping services, child day care services, and grocery stores. TPS beneficiaries contribute about $3.1 billion in gross domestic product to the United States and their removal will only serve to hurt our economy.
“The termination of TPS is devastating for the nearly 50,000 Salvadorans who have lived and worked in California for two decades, raising citizen children and contributing to our state’s prosperity,” said Martha Arevalo, Executive Director of the Central American Resource Center. “HR 69 sends a powerful message from California that the Trump Administration’s decision is not based on conditions in El Salvador, where underdevelopment and violence persist. Once again, California legislators take the lead by standing with immigrant families.”
Tomorrow, Assemblymember Carrillo and Speaker Anthony Rendon will lead an Assembly delegation to El Salvador to promote sustained ties with the country, particularly in light of the federal administration’s attempts to disengage. HR 69 exemplifies California’s commitment to its Salvadoran residents and to El Salvador with which California shares deep historical and cultural bonds.
HR 69 now heads to the Assembly Floor for consideration.
Below are links to audio of Assemblymember Carrillo:
Assemblymember Carrillo’s remarks to the Judiciary Committee. (2:09)
Assemblymember Carrillo explains why she brought HR 69 to the Judiciary Committee. (:36)
Assemblymember Carrillo says she and Assembly Speaker Rendon are leading a delegation to El Salvador. (:31)
Assemblymember Carrillo promises California will stand by immigrants in the face of attacks by the Trump administration. (:18)
Assemblymember Carrillo says she this subject is a personal one to her. (:18)
CONTACT: Alicia Isaacs (916) 319-2051