Res 0688-2015

By Council Members Eugene. Chin, Constantinides, Cumbo, Koo, Mendez, Rose, Gentile and Menchaca Whereas, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a temporary immigration status granted to eligible nationals of designated countries; and Whereas, The Secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has the authority to provide TPS to immigrants living in the United States who are unable to safely return to their home county because of an ongoing armed conflict, an environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions that prevent their safe return; and Whereas, The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of DHS, is responsible for administering the TPS program; and Whereas, A country's TPS designation takes effect on the date of publication of the designation and may last between six and 18 months, with the possibility of an extension; and Whereas, Once the Secretary of DHS terminates a TPS designation, TPS beneficiaries revert to the same immigration status they had prior to TPS or to any other status they may have acquired while registered for TPS; and Whereas, On April 25, 2015, Nepal experienced a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake which brought about 40 disastrous aftershocks and triggered avalanches on Mount Everest and in Langtang Valley damaged around 600,000 homes and destroyed 140,000, altogether, led to the deaths of more than 7,500 and injured more than twice as many; and Whereas, The United Nations estimates 8 million people, nearly a third of Nepal's population, are affected by the earthquake across 39 of the country's 75 districts; and Whereas, Due to the widespread devastation, damaged infrastructure and imminent Monsoon rains there are complications in rescue and recovery efforts, Nepal fully meets the criteria of a country entitled to TPS; and Whereas, According to the 2010 United States Census Bureau, there are nearly 36,000 Nepalese living in the United States and New York City is home to one of the largest Nepalese populations in the nation with over 4,200 residents; and Whereas, Nepalese, and eligible Nepalese nationals, granted TPS may obtain authorization to work in the United States, may be granted travel authorization, and are not removable from the United States; and Whereas, Nepalese, and eligible Nepalese nationals, granted TPS who are living in New York City are eligible for in-state tuition rates at schools in the CUNY system; and Whereas, Any immigrants granted TPS, including Nepalese, and eligible Nepalese nationals, however, are not considered to be permanently residing in the United States; and Whereas, President Barack Obama has promised to send $1 million in relief aid and a team of disaster response experts to Nepal as it recovers from the disastrous earthquake, and extending federal public benefits to Nepalese, and eligible Nepalese nationals, with TPS living in the United States would further demonstrate the United States' support for Nepal; and Whereas, On April 27, 2015, In a further show of support, Representative Al Green introduced a bill, H.R. 2033, that would designate Nepal as a country whose nationals are eligible for TPS because of the extraordinary and temporary conditions that prevented Nepalese from returning safely to their homes; and now, therefore, be it, Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to grant Temporary Protected Status designation to Nepal and eligible Nepalese nationals. LS #5195 05/08/2015 CGR 2 1