On March 6-7, Alianza Americas, along with member organizations Centro Presente and ONECA, will take part in a series of activities in Washington D.C. to mark International Women’s Day.

CHICAGO, March 5, 2019 –  Women leaders in Alianza Americas and member organizations Centro Presente and Organización Negra Centroamericana (ONECA) will take part in a series of meetings in Washington DC, aimed at informing policymakers about the urgent need for protections for people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The delegation will also urge lawmakers to guarantee the rights of asylum seekers and immediately cease separating families at the border.

To mark International Women’s Day, Alianza Americas will share personal stories and demands of women in migration in the United States.  About half of those who live in the US with temporary humanitarian migration protections are women–53 % of the DACA beneficiaries and  44 % of TPS holders; women also comprise 47 % of the undocumented population. The delegation will carry out the following activities:

March 6

• Informational meeting in collaboration with the offices of Representatives Nydia Velásquez (D-NY) and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA).  A delegation of women leaders from the Latin America Working Group (LAWG), Oxfam America, Centro Presente, the Office of the Mayor of Somerville, MA, and Alianza Americas will lead a briefing for congressional staff on the challenges faced by TPS, DED, and DACA recipients, as well as those who are currently seeking asylum in the US.
• Participation in a congressional briefing. The delegation will attend a hearing sponsored by the House Judiciary committee on a permanent solutions for TPS, DED, and DACA holders, as well as a hearing at of the Homeland Security Committee on border security in which DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is scheduled to testify.

March 7

• Delegation members will join more than 60 women from across the US who are coming together as part of the “Sisters on the Planet” program at Oxfam America. Alianza Americas members who will speak include: Tania Molina, member of ONECA and TPS beneficiary, Patricia Montes, Executive Director of Centro Presente; and Yanira Arias, National Campaigns Manager of Alianza Americas and TPS beneficiary from El Salvador.  The documentary The Invisible Crisis The Female Face of Forced Migration produced by Centro Presente will be screened.  This invitation-only event will be transmitted live from the Oxfam America Facebook page from de 8:30- 11:45 am EST.
• In the afternoon, the delegation will participate in legislator visits with Oxfam Amerca.

Media inquiries

Members of the delegation will be available for one on one interviews throughout the two days.  TPS beneficiaries in the delegation include: Tania Molina, from ONECA, Irma Flores, from the Somerville Mayor’s office; and Yanira Arias, Alianza Americas. To schedule an interview, please contact  Yanira Arias at yarias@alianzaamericas or +1917 575 1124

Alianza Americas is a network of 50 immigrant-led organizations representing more than 100,000 families across the United States. It is the only US-based organization rooted in Latino and Caribbean immigrant communities that works transnationally to create an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable way of life. Learn more at alianzaamericas.org.