During a virtual press conference on Tuesday, April 13, leaders of the Venezuelan diaspora announced a national summit to call on Republican and Democratic Senators to support the SECURE Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for all TPS holders, including more than 320,000 Venezuelans. The summit, titled “Cumbre Nacional: Venezolanos unidos por un camino a la ciudadanía” will take place on Saturday, April 17th at 11:00 AM EST. To register for the summit, click here.
Speakers at the press conference included Kathy Bird Carvajal, IMPAC Fund, Maria Antonieta Diaz, Venezuelan American Alliance, Denise Rincon, Director, Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts, Inc, Al Cardenas, Former Chair of the Republican Party of Florida and Co-Chair of the American Business Immigration Coalition and IMPAC Fund, Evelyn Perez Verdia, We Are Más, and Leopoldo Martinez, Founder and President of IQLatino and Center for Democracy and Development in the Americas (CDDA).
Read Leopoldo Martinez’s remarks at the press conference below:
I am Leopoldo Martinez, Founder President of CDDA, and Chair Latino Victory National Committee.
I came to the US in exile, politically persecuted by the regime that continues to destroy opportunities for Venezuela and Venezuelans. I know first hand, and understand, what motivated people to seek safe harbor in the United States. I was fortunate to have a path to citizenship, for thousands of my fellow Venezuelans the struggle has been much different, and therefore, I feel morally obligated to respond to that part of Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis. TPS is fortunately here, late for many of these Venezuelan refugees, but here. And as much as we continue to fight with the international community to restore democracy in Venezuela, enforce human rights and provide humanitarian relief for those in need at home; we must think about those now protected or eligible for TPS.
Many Venezuelan families have their own immigrant history added to that of millions of immigrants in the U.S. For many it has been several years of struggle finding ground here, whether through asylum laws, or within the complexities of a broken immigration legal system. With their resilience, and in search for a status, the Venezuelan refugee families during these years has developed attachments to this great country; their children have become dreamers, some of them citizens by birth.
Providing stability and economic security to thousands of Venezuelan families will help them, help their loved ones in Venezuela, and help the United States. Venezuelans that are seeking a path to permanence are talented, hard working, entrepreneurial and thousands are professionals. They will contribute undoubtedly to US economic growth.
Finally, America and being and American is an idea based on values. Venezuelans in the United States embrace those values and will be a phenomenal addition to the American family.