AILA Welcomes Designation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status
WASHINGTON, DC – The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) welcomed the recent designation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) which will protect thousands of Cameroonian nationals currently in the U.S.
AILA President Allen Orr stated, “AILA welcomes this news that Cameroonian nationals will be protected from deportation back to the dire circumstances on the ground in that country. African communities in the United States have been waiting far too long for this designation while their family members and loved ones in Cameroon have suffered through extreme violence, conflict and instability. Today, the United States has renewed its commitment to humanitarian protection and equity, but AILA remains gravely concerned that the administration continues deportation flights to Haiti and has still not designated TPS for the nationals of several other countries where deportation is essentially a death sentence. Simply put, humanitarian protection is not a zero-sum game. We cannot sacrifice one vulnerable population for another. These decisions must be centered in equity and our common humanity.
"AILA stands with the Cameroonian American community and urges the Biden administration to issue the Federal Register Notice as soon as possible to ensure the registration process for TPS can get underway. In the meantime, we encourage the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to suspend enforcement actions against Cameroonian nationals to ensure the important humanitarian aims of today’s announcement are fully realized.”
The American Immigration Lawyers Association is the national association of immigration lawyers established to promote justice, advocate for fair and reasonable immigration law and policy, advance the quality of immigration and nationality law and practice, and enhance the professional development of its members.