SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER APPLAUDS DESIGNATION OF CAMEROON FOR TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rose Murray, an attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC) Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative (SIFI) of the Immigrant Justice Project, released the following statement responding to today’s announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announcing the designation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. 
 
“This designation will protect tens of thousands of Cameroonians who have come to the United States seeking safety in accordance with international and federal law. There is no doubt that lives will be saved as a result of this action. 
 
“We join our colleagues at the Cameroon Advocacy Network, Haitian Bridge Alliance, CASA, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and Amnesty International USA in urging the administration to issue the Federal Register Notice as soon as possible and develop resources in accordance with the language access needs of the Cameroonian community. We also thank these groups for their leadership in this advocacy.  
 
“The road to justice is still long, including for many who are still fighting for their lives and their rights: immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico Border being turned away under Title 42, asylum-seekers who were unjustly deported to Cameroon and all Black immigrants who continue to struggle against Anti-Blackness in the immigration and criminal legal systems. But today’s action is a welcome step in the right direction.” 
 
In light of the dire situation in Cameroon and for Cameroonians at risk for deportation, the SPLC has joined immigrant and human rights organizations in urging the Biden Administration take this action.