Washington, D.C. — Today the Biden administration announced that it would grant 18 months of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Cameroonian nationals who are living in the United States as of April 14, 2022. Following the announcement, Silva Mathema, acting director for Immigration Policy at the Center for American Progress, released the following statement:
Today, many Cameroonian nationals currently living in the United States are breathing a sigh of relief. The Biden administration’s decision will likely prove to be lifesaving for the estimated 40,000 Cameroonians who could be eligible for Temporary Protected Status. At a time when Cameroon continues to grapple with multiple humanitarian crises and extraordinary circumstances that make safe return impossible, a TPS designation will afford eligible Cameroonians with much-needed temporary protection from deportation to unsafe conditions and an opportunity to apply for work permits.
This is a long-awaited decision, and we are pleased to see the Biden administration take action after experts, lawmakers, and advocates, including many Black-led immigrants’ rights organizations, urgently called for TPS designation for Cameroon.
Related resources:
For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Julia Cusick at [email protected].