End of Temporary Protection Status?
January 12th, 2018
Yes, this administration is planning to end “Temporary Protected Status” for many legally admitted/present refugees. Here’s the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Temporary Protected Status page. They’ve been here legally for how long, and now, the rug will be pulled out from under them.
Countries covered include:
And here’s the real news of Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen doing tRump’s bidding — note it’s coming from Homeland Security, this one regarding El Salvador:
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
Nielsen Carefully Considered Conditions on the Ground
WASHINGTON— Today, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced her determination that termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for El Salvador was required pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act. To allow for an orderly transition, she has determined to delay the termination for 18 months. The designation will terminate on Sept. 9, 2019.
The decision to terminate TPS for El Salvador was made after a review of the disaster-related conditions upon which the country’s original designation was based and an assessment of whether those originating conditions continue to exist as required by statute. Based on careful consideration of available information, including recommendations received as part of an inter-agency consultation process, the Secretary determined that the original conditions caused by the 2001 earthquakes no longer exist. Thus, under the applicable statute, the current TPS designation must be terminated.
The Department of Homeland Security has conducted extensive outreach to Salvadoran communities throughout the country. This includes, but is not limited to, community forums on TPS, panel discussions with Salvadoran community organizers, stakeholder teleconferences, regular meetings with TPS beneficiaries, news releases to the Salvadoran community, meetings with Salvadoran government officials, meetings at local churches, and listening sessions. The Secretary met recently with the El Salvadorian Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the United States, and spoke with President Sánchez Cerén.
Following the 2001 earthquake, El Salvador received a significant amount of international aid to assist in its recovery efforts, including millions of dollars dedicated to emergency and long-term assistance. Many reconstruction projects have now been completed. Schools and hospitals damaged by the earthquakes have been reconstructed and repaired, homes have been rebuilt, and money has been provided for water and sanitation and to repair earthquake damaged roads and other infrastructure. The substantial disruption of living conditions caused by the earthquake no longer exist.
Additionally, in recent years, the U.S. government has been repatriating individuals back to El Salvador – more than 39,000 in the last two years – demonstrating that the temporary inability of El Salvador to adequately return their nationals after the earthquake has been addressed.
To allow for an orderly transition, the effective date of the termination of TPS for El Salvador will be delayed 18 months to provide time for individuals with TPS to arrange for their departure or to seek an alternative lawful immigration status in the United States, if eligible. Salvadorans in the United States who benefited from TPS may still receive other protections under our immigration system for which they are eligible.
The 18 months will also provide time for El Salvador to prepare for the return and reintegration of its citizens. During this timeframe, DHS will work with the Department of State and the Government of El Salvador to help educate relevant stakeholders and facilitate an orderly transition. In addition to materials posted online, DHS components will participate in outreach activities such as teleconferences, town halls and roundtables to ensure that affected populations have a full and accurate understanding of their rights and obligations.
Only Congress can legislate a permanent solution addressing the lack of an enduring lawful immigration status of those currently protected by TPS who have lived and worked in the United States for many years. The 18-month delayed termination will allow Congress time to craft a potential legislative solution.
Salvadorans with TPS will be required to re-register for TPS and apply for Employment Authorization Documents in order to legally work in the United States until the termination of El Salvador’s TPS designation becomes effective Sept. 9, 2019. Further details about this termination for TPS, including the re-registration period, will appear in a Federal Register notice. Salvadoran TPS beneficiaries should not submit re-registration applications until the re-registration period is announced through the Federal Register notice.
# # #
Each has its own notice, but some are set to expire and no notice — here’s what’s on the site:
- Acting Secretary Elaine Duke Announcement On Temporary Protected Status For Haiti.
- Acting Secretary Elaine Duke Announcement on Temporary Protected Status for Nicaragua and Honduras.
- Termination of the Designation of Nicaragua for Temporary Protected Status.
- Temporary Protected Status for Sudan to Terminate in November 2018 (an Arabic translation is also available (PDF, 191 KB).
“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?”
January 11th, 2018
Yes, he said this — REAL NEWS:
“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?”
And his family came from where, when conditions were what??? Granted it looks like his grandfather tried to go back to Germany and was deported, but…
Harpers Magazine: The Emigrants — Friedrich Trump
SNOPES: Did Trump’s Grandfather Beg the Government of Bavaria Not To Deport Him?
Unless you where already here when us white folks landed, unless you were brought here to live in a penal colony, unless you were brought here in chains in the belly of a slave ship, odds are you chose to come here because it looked a lot better to take the risk and than stay where you were.
In the STrib:
Trump: Why allow immigrants from ‘shithole countries’?
Trump’s ‘shithole’ comment about Haiti lends credence to report he said Haitians ‘all have AIDS’
In the Chicago Tribune:
Trump dubs Haiti, El Salvador, African nations ‘shithole countries,’ sources say
Trump included Haiti and El Salvador in his disparaging remarks, according to the Washington Post.
Also in the meeting was Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), the Post reported.
The White House did not deny that Trump used profanity in the meeting.
In Illinois, one leading Democrat said the remarks show the president is a racist.
FERC Order nixes coal and nuclear subsidies
January 9th, 2018
Good try, DOE Secretary Perry, but you’re outta here! Yes, it’s true, a tRump stacked FERC said “NO!” to a proposed rule to subsidize coal and nuclear plants, generation with 90+ days of fuel on hand, outmoded generation plants that are oh-so-suffering while they try to compete in the wholesale “free market” and sinking south fast because costs of production are high and market prices are higher. I’m shocked, utterly shocked, and very pleasantly surprised!
What did Perry ask for? Here’s the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking:
Secretary Rick Perry’s Letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Bottom line? Gotta snort, “Now that a quorum has been restored at the Commission, I am confident…” (click for larger version):
SOL!!!
That’s SNORT out loud… how’s that workin’ for ya, Secretary Perry?
What he thought was a slam dunk was a 5-0 rejection of preferential “out of market” treatment for certain generators. Nope, ain’t gonna happen.
Here’s the FERC Order, straight from the horse’s mouth. I’m most appreciative of the many articles and posts that include the primary document. It’s crucial to be able to read the FERC Order. This is REAL NEWS!
There are a lot of people railing and wailing about subsidies these days, but it’s very lopsided, and I’m not hearing the complaints about all the subsidies of coal and nuclear. If you want to complain about subsidies, slash them across the board. “Free market” right, the essence of capitalism, right?
PolyMet Draft Permit issued — WHERE IS IT?
January 6th, 2018
PolyMet’s Draft Site Permit has been released by the Dept. of Natural Resources. Here’s the link:
And in there are some links — official word from Barb Naramore, DNR, is that the Permit to Mine Application & Appendices and DNR’s Draft Special Conditions constitute the “Draft Site Permit” for the PolyMet mine, based on this statement:
Following review of PolyMet’s permit to mine application, DNR has prepared draft special conditions for the application. Together, the application and the draft special conditions are considered the draft permit to mine for the NorthMet project.
Guess that’s what they’re presenting as the “Draft Site Permit” for review and comment, but it looks pretty bizarre to me!
Here is that application and special conditions:
- Permit to Mine Application and Appendices (755 MB)
(12/13/2017)- Appendix 16 provided separately – Final Environmental Impact Statement and Related Environmental Reports(1.3 GB)
(12/13/2017)- Appendix 18.1 Wetland Replacement Plan Attachment D-1 (1 MB)
(01/05/2018)- DNR’s Draft Special Conditions (2 MB)
Why did I ask about this? You’ll note above, there is the DNR’s Draft Special Conditions, but tell me, do you see a Draft Site Permit anywhere? I’d spent a lot of time looking, and cannot find anything that resembles a “Draft Site Permit.” So I asked around. Oh, but wait, there’s no project contact info on any of the DNR’s pages or press release. WHAT? No problem, I have contact info for the chief grand poohbahs at the DNR, and that worked.
To Comment:
DNR’s PolyMet’s Permitting COMMENT Page (note you are asked to accept set up to Comment online
In the news:
4 things to know about the PolyMet mine — MPR
With Minnesota mining permit, PolyMet proposal reaches a turning point – STrib
Comments will be accepted through March 6, 2018. Two public meetings (not hearings?) will be held. Petitions for a Contested Case may NOT be filed using the online commenting form, so they say at the link above!
Comments and objections may be submitted by US mail to the following address:
|
Look who’s in the news!
January 5th, 2018
Yes, we all know that Mike Bull wrote most of the energy law now in place! But there’s no mention of those many years of work at House Regulated Industries Committee though…
And we all know that there are some big holes and problems with the wind siting statutes, rules, and standards. What will it take to get some of the problems worked through, like some respectful wind siting standards? We’re just starting to see, at long last, after years and years of complaints, some Public Utilities Commission action on wind noise issues.
Bent Tree_Noise Monitoring and Monitoring Report_20179-135856-01
Siting will have to be addressed, because despite sound modeling that says “no problem,” there are indeed problems. Despite shadow flicker modeling that says “no problem,” there are indeed problems.
Preventative siting is long overdue and needs to start NOW! And what about those already affected? “Buy the Farm” for wind? It’s overdue. Action after the fact is not the best of options, prevention is always the key, but for those now attempting to live in untenable circumstances, foisted on them by the nuisance moving into their community, and permitted by the Commission, what are the options?
Wind project in southern Minnesota gets pushback
Hey Mikey, how ’bout helping get to some solutions???