Lauren Underwood: “Throughout the debate today, it is not clear if our colleagues saw today's announcement, so I just want to make sure…”

“Throughout the debate today, it is not clear if our colleagues saw today's announcement, so I just want to make sure that we all know that the Presidential proclamation issued by President Biden to temporarily suspend the entry of certain noncitizens across the southern border and the complementary joint interim final rule issued by DHS and DOJ have now been in effect for 3 weeks, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of encounters at our southwest border. Under that interim final rule, asylum eligibility is generally limited for those who cross the southern border unlawfully or without authorization during times of high encounters. While it is still early, the Border Patrol's 7-day encounter average has decreased more than 40 percent to under 2,400 encounters per day. The Immigration and Nationality Act outlines the conditions under which a country may be designated for temporary protected status, and it requires periodic reviews to determine whether the conditions for this status continue to be met. Based on USCIS' latest review, the Secretary extended El Salvador's TPS designation through March 9, 2025. Since the earthquakes of 2001, El Salvador has continued to suffer from hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters, making it difficult for the country to fully recover and allow for the safe return of individuals currently receiving TPS benefits.…”