Chicago Sister City Committee Signs on to Residency Campaign

Chicago-Cinquera Sister Cities

A sustainable development and friendship project with El Salvador

 

May 6, 2012

Immigration Taskforce for Central America
c/o Jose Artiga
SHARE Foundation
2425 College Drive
Berkeley, CA 94704

Dear Immigration Taskforce for Central America:

 

This letter is submitted to express our support for the campaign to secure legal permanent residency status for Central Americans under the Temporary Protective Status (TPS) program.

 

We have worked with Salvadoran immigrants for close to 20 years in connection with our Chicago-Cinquera Sister Cities Committee, a local project of U.S.-El Salvador Sister Cities. Together with Salvadorans in the Chicago area, the committee has supported sustainable development in our sister city. Assisting development in El Salvador raises the living standards of Salvadorans in their home country. A serendipitous result is less pressure for Salvadorans to leave their own country.

 

However, many of the Salvadorans who work with our sister-city committee came to the United States in more difficult times. They are TPS participants who have established roots in the U.S. and have strengthened the Chicago metropolitan community in which they live. They are spouses and parents of U. S. citizens. They are hard workers who make important economic contributions to this nation. They support their families both here and in their country of origin through remittances. Most importantly, they have a desire to continue contributing to the U. S. and fully integrate themselves in American society to ensure a thriving future for their families and communities.

 

We understand that Salvadorans in the TPS program have lived in the U.S. for over ten years and have complied with U.S. policies, such as paid fees to the government to maintain their status, paid taxes, undergone background checks and demonstrated to be people of good moral character. Under these circumstances, we believe they have earned the opportunity to become lawful permanent residents.

 

We applaud ITCA’s efforts to resolve this aspect of U.S. immigration procedure and we join you in your campaign to bring legal permanent residency to Central Americans. Please let us know how we can work together to make this initiative a reality.

 

Cordially,

 

Sheila Brady, Coordinator

Chicago-Cinquera Sister Cities

U.S.-El Salvador Sister Cities