Wasserman Schultz, Debbie RSS Articles

Wasserman Schultz Introduces Bipartisan Agriculture Relief Bill to Provide Florida Farm, Citrus Support

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C.— Today, U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Scott Franklin (FL-18), Darren Soto (FL-09) and Kat Cammack (FL-03) introduced the Restore Agricultural Investment, Stability and Expansion (RAISE) Act of 2026, to provide the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with the standing authority to help American farmers and growers recover after natural disasters by issuing block grants.

“Congress needs to have the back of America’s farmers, and I’m proud to work across the aisle to make sure the crops and agricultural resources that fuel American families are protected from increasingly extreme weather threats, something our own citrus industry faces in Florida,” said Wasserman Schultz. “From timber to food on our tabletops, we need every tool at hand to help farmers recover from natural disasters.”

“The devastating freeze Florida farmers faced this past February was another reminder of how quickly a natural disaster can threaten years of hard work,” said Franklin. “Our growers face hurricanes, freezes, droughts, floods and other disasters, and they need a reliable way to recover when disaster strikes. This bill gives USDA permanent authority to provide flexible block grants for high-value and specialty crop losses so assistance can reach producers faster. I’m pleased we secured this provision in the House-passed Farm Bill and will continue working with Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz to get it across the finish line.”

“Glad to join Reps. Franklin, Wasserman Schultz, and Soto on this effort to support our Florida producers,” said Cammack. “When extreme weather threatens our crops, as is often the case in the Sunshine State, we must be prepared to help our farmers recover and continue the important work of feeding our nation.”

“In Central Florida, our farmers, ranchers, and growers have struggled after devastating hurricanes,” said Soto. “As these natural disasters get stronger, we must work to ensure that they have the resources to recover, maintain their livelihoods, and keep feeding America.”

“Florida's citrus industry knows firsthand the devastating impacts of freezes, hurricanes and other disasters on crops. In times of disaster, America's growers and farmers need timely support to recover and replant,” said Matt Joyner, EVP and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual. “Florida's citrus growers are grateful to our state’s Congressional members, including Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Kat Cammack, Darren Soto and Scott Franklin, for their leadership and commitment to advancing the RAISE Act. The legislation seeks to give the United States Department of Agriculture tools to quickly deliver block grant assistance in the wake of disasters, helping Florida citrus and the greater agriculture industry recover and continue producing for America's families.”

More than 90 percent of all Florida citrus production was impacted by hurricanes in 2022, totaling 375,302 acres. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services expects these devastating losses to cost the industry as much as $675 million. Florida citrus generates $6.8 billion in annual revenue and supports 33,000 jobs.

Click here for the full text of the legislation.

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Wasserman Schultz Slams Mega-Base Proposal by Trump Administration

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Broward County, Florida – U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member, released the following in response to recent comments by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding a possible new military base:

"There is overwhelming data that America's existing bases need immense repair and foundational investments, and this mega-boondoggle would do nothing to improve readiness or address the myriad needs our servicemembers and their families face on their current posts. Like all costly, erratic vanity projects Donald Trump wastes America's scarce taxpayer dollars on, this latest fiscal folly would be DOA in Congress. I'll continue to work with Republican colleagues to address real, current base needs, just as I'll interrogate any effort by this corrupt, lawless Administration to bypass our laws and Constitution to pursue proposals like this, which would actually erode current servicemembers' quality of life."

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Wasserman Schultz Conducts Surprise Miramar ICE Facility Inspection Following Whistleblower Report

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Miramar, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) made an unannounced visit to conduct oversight at the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Center in Miramar, FL. This was Wasserman Schultz’s second visit to the facility, after a previous inspection uncovered overcrowding, unhygienic conditions, and illegal detention of individuals for days or weeks on end, prompting Democrats on the House Oversight Committee to open an investigation into the facility’s dangerous and unlawful practices.

Click here for video of the press conference and Wasserman Schultz entering the facility.

The surprise inspection follows whistleblower disclosures detailing horrific conditions in the Miramar facility, including a pregnant woman being detained for three weeks, detainees brushing their teeth outside with water from a hose attached to a jug, lack of proper access to medication or hygiene products, and other abuses. Detainees have been cuffed and chained overnight, forced to use overflowing porta-potties, and denied access to medical care despite more than two dozen emergency calls, including a detainee throwing up blood.

“The conditions we documented during my last surprise inspection got ICE’s attention, so they did their best over the last week to clean things up. Oversight and public pressure work, and we need more of it in our state and across the country,” said Wasserman Schultz. “It’s clear that the push from the Trump administration to round up as many people as possible has caused this facility, and others, to become overwhelmed. They simply don’t have the capacity to hold this many people humanely, and most of them are law-abiding immigrants who just came here for a better life.”

Wasserman Schultz described the improvements she saw in the facility’s operations as proof that oversight of ICE detention centers remains crucial. People were being processed quicker compared to her first inspection, leading to less overcrowding in the Miramar facility, approximately 20 people per holding room.

But there is still no consistent policy regarding showers or changes of clothes for individuals detained at the facility. Additionally, Wasserman Schultz saw broken sinks, floors covered in filth, and overflowing dumpsters. There is no medical unit, and Wasserman Schultz saw a woman with a leg injury. Wasserman Schultz also reported that two detainees told her in Spanish that they had been there for six days – much longer than the 12 hours permitted after a federal court order barred ICE from holding immigrants for three days or longer in temporary processing facilities.

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Wasserman Schultz Leads Florida Democrats in Denouncing Florida’s Use of Cages in Everglades Internment Camp

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) led all Democratic Members of the Florida Congressional Delegation to call on Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, and Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Executive Director Jared Perdue to provide transparency around holding detainees in outdoor cages only slightly larger than telephone booths at the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” ICE internment camp.

The DHS Inspector General recently released a report which found that 79 detainees were held in “small metal enclosures” of roughly 4-by-4, or 16 square feet for up to 2 hours. Facility staff members described them as “calming areas” for “detainees to de-escalate and have time alone.” They also found numerous other concerning conditions, saying the facility “did not comply with standards related to: Environmental Health and Safety; Special Management Units; Medical Care; Food Service; Personal Hygiene; and Recreation.”

“This is not how America should treat human beings in our custody, regardless of their immigration status. We can enforce our laws without abandoning basic human dignity,” wrote the Members. “And in a nation of laws, there must be consequences when elected officials and their appointees rob taxpayer funds to inflict environmental damage, violate Constitutional protections, and commit acts of torture in our backyard. Those responsible for these conditions must be held accountable and we must make sure nothing like this happens again in Florida.”

The signers comprise all seven Democratic Members of Florida’s Congressional Delegation, including Reps. Kathy Castor (FL-14), Frederica Wilson (FL-24), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Darren Soto (FL-09), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23) and Maxwell Frost (FL-10).

Wasserman Schultz conducted a surprise oversight inspection of the facility in April prior to its closure in June. She also introduced the No Cages in the Everglades Act with fellow Florida Democrats to defund the Everglades internment camp, launch an independent investigation of any laws broken in its construction and operation, and ensure more robust Congressional oversight there and in all similar facilities.

Read the full letter here and below:

As Members of Congress representing the State of Florida, we are sickened by the revelations reported by the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security regarding a wide range of human rights abuses at the Everglades camp operated by FDEM that was cruelly nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”.

In particular, the Inspector General’s report found that people were locked in tiny metal enclosures—just 18 square feet—for up to two hours. The federal watchdog found these conditions unprecedented and a significant risk to detainees’ health and safety. People held in this type of cage, nicknamed “the Box,” were isolated and exposed to environmental hazards including extreme heat and insects. This is a clear violation of the prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment in our Constitution, and human rights experts describe this practice as a form of torture.

Many of us conducted oversight inspections at this facility, which was constructed and operated illegally, using over $1 billion in Florida taxpayer funds designated for responding to emergencies like hurricanes. We witnessed and exposed horrific, inhumane detention conditions that shocked the conscience of our State.

During these visits, Members in our delegation were repeatedly denied access to view these punishment cages,and told by DHS and FDEM employees and contractors that detainee reports of their existence and use for punitive or coercive purposes were categorically false. We were deceived. It is now clear that this was intended to mislead public officials at public expense.

The Inspector General report not only confirms many allegations of sadistic cruelty that we saw or were reported by detainees, but sheds light on why the Trump Administration and Florida’s state government worked overtime to block transparency and accountability.

Shortly after our initial visit, we introduced the No Cages in the Everglades Act to prohibit the use of Federal funds for this appalling project or any other detention facility in the Everglades, require an independent investigation of State and federal laws violated in its construction and management, and permanently codify the rights of Members of Congress to conduct unannounced oversight visits wherever immigrants are detained.

This is not how America should treat human beings in our custody, regardless of their immigration status. We can enforce our laws without abandoning basic human dignity. And in a nation of laws, there must be consequences when elected officials and their appointees rob taxpayer funds to inflict environmental damage, violate Constitutional protections, and commit acts of torture in our backyard. Those responsible for these conditions must be held accountable and we must make sure nothing like this happens again in Florida.

In service to that goal, we request your response to the following questions as soon as possible:

How many individuals were subjected to treatment constituting torture under U.S. or international law at the Everglades internment camp or at other immigrant detention facilities in Florida?
Has the Office of the Attorney General conducted an analysis of the State’s potential civil liability for cruel and unusual punishment without due process at this facility?
How many other facilities used for immigrant detention in Florida have utilized isolation in small metal cages as a punitive or coercive measure?
1. Who instructed FDEM employees and contractors to deceive Members of Congress conducting lawful oversight with respect to the use of these cages?
2. Will you commit to ceasing this practice and dismantling these cages, wherever they are used?
Have the State government and its contractors involved in constructing and operating the Everglades detention camp appropriately retained and preserved photographic evidence, digital communications, documents, and other records that may be relevant in future investigations, pursuant to Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes?
1. If so, please provide a list of all relevant evidence that you have retained.
Do you commit to fully cooperating with future law enforcement investigations of Florida's involvement in immigration detention abuses?
1. If not, are you aware of the potential legal consequences associated with obstructing law enforcement investigations, failing to preserve or report evidence of wrongdoing, or violating court orders or Congressional subpoenas?

We hope that you will take immediate action to bring these abusive practices to an end and begin repairing the damage you have inflicted on our neighbors, our beloved Everglades, and the State of Florida.

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Wasserman Schultz, Cleaver Convene Housing Officials, Advocates to Tackle High Housing Cost Crisis

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Lauderdale Lakes, FL – Today, U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) and Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05) joined local housing advocates and public housing officials who help Floridians facing skyrocketing housing costs to discuss possible solutions and reforms the affordability problem confronting nearly all Floridians when it comes to keeping a roof over their head.

“Home insurance, rent, and mortgage costs keep climbing, flooding fears only grow, and we have a Republican Legislature that ignores our problems in Tallahassee, while handcuffing any local solutions at home,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Democrats are working to solve these problems, and that’s why I brought Congressman Cleaver here, so local leaders can work closely with us to help our hard-working families can afford to put a safe, comfortable roof over their head.”

“As Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, it comes as no surprise that many of the challenges facing families in South Florida are the same challenges facing families back home in Kansas City. Housing affordability has reached the point of crisis in this country, and the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act represents an important step toward addressing some of the barriers that are driving up the cost of housing." said Cleaver. "Rep. Wasserman Schultz worked to advance provisions in the legislation important to her constituents, and I look forward to continuing to work with her to build on that progress. Today, I appreciated hearing from housing leaders about the positive impact they expect the 21^st Century ROAD to Housing Act to have in their communities, as well as the challenges that still require the attention of Congress.”

The discussion keyed in on federal legislative solutions that can be implemented when House Democrats take back control of the House of Representatives in the next Congress. Cleaver is the lead Democrat of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

Florida ranks among the worst states for affordable rent, and recent polls show as many as half of all residents have considered leaving the state due to rising costs of living. Wasserman Schultz and Cleaver discussed how Congress can help relieve this crisis, and asked advocates and local officials to share other ideas.

Wasserman Schultz and Cleaver were joined by Pompano Beach Housing Authority Executive Director Lennard Robinson, Dania Beach Housing Authority Assistant Director Carla Pierson, Housing Finance Authority of Broward County Director Ralph Stone, National Association of Mortgage Brokers President Kimber White, Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence President & CEO Daniel Howe, Housing Authority of Broward County CEO Parnell Joyce, Area Council on Aging of Broward CEO Charlotte Mather-Taylor, Legal Aid Service of Broward County Supervising Attorney Jeff Hittleman, Mission United VP James Heaton, United Way of Broward County VP of Housing Rebecca McGuire, Deerfield Beach Public Housing Authority Executive Director LaTonya Coley-McKenly, and Deerfield Beach Public Housing Authority Community Liaison Terry Scott.

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Wasserman Schultz Joins Constituent Released from ICE Facility

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Sunrise, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) joined her constituent Claudia Carolina Rodriguez Caglianone after she was released from the ICE Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach last night.

Click here to watch the full press conference.

Click here for video of Claudia and Wasserman Schultz meeting.

“I’m so grateful and relieved that Claudia is with her family again. I was proud to help put a spotlight on her case, but there are 300,000 Florida families who had TPS ripped away just like Claudia, and they are just as vulnerable to the kind of cruel arrest and detention that she and her family just went through,” said Wasserman Schultz. “She’s clearly no threat to our community. And the atrocious pain and uncertainty that she and her family were put through, and all the immense, wasteful expense it costs taxpayers, are just appalling. The end of TPS means more and more of our neighbors will be targeted by ICE. I’ll keep fighting to keep families like Claudia’s together, and to put an end to Trump’s racist cruelty. There are still too many Claudias going through this same horror.”

“Today, my heart is also with the many people in detention without the same support and visibility, and also the opportunity to have shared their stories and also be heard,” said Claudia. “I hope this moment also shines a light on them, because this journey is just the beginning.”

Claudia Carolina Rodriguez Caglianone was held at the Pompano Beach facility after being detained for eight days at the ICE Field Office in Miramar, where Wasserman Schultz recently conducted oversight and put a spotlight on inhumane conditions. Claudia lawfully moved from Venezuela to the United States in 2017 on a tourist visa, and within six months applied for asylum. She received Temporary Protected Status in 2023, and her asylum case is pending. Earlier in July, she was arrested by ICE agents at Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Last year, she earned her master’s degree from St. Thomas University.

When she spoke to Claudia last week, Wasserman Schultz says she described being held for eight days in the Miramar ICE facility, significantly longer than the 72 hours allowed by law. Claudia had no access to a shower or change of clothes for the entirety of her time in Miramar. She also described women sleeping on the floor and limited light.

Watch Wasserman Schultz’s press conference after her unannounced visit to the ICE Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach here.

Wasserman Schultz Makes Unannounced Pompano Beach ICE Facility Oversight Visit, Announces New ICE Reform Legislation

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Pompano Beach, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) made an unannounced oversight inspection of the ICE Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach. Wasserman Schultz also announced two new bills, the No PREJUDICE Act to prohibit ICE from racial profiling, and the Build Homes, Not Hate Act to redirect ICE funds to instead build housing.

Click here to watch the full press conference.

A Wasserman Schultz constituent, Claudia Carolina Rodriguez Caglianone, is being held at the facility after being detained for eight days at the ICE Field Office in Miramar, where Rep. Wasserman Schultz recently conducted oversight and put a spotlight on inhumane conditions. Claudia lawfully moved from Venezuela to the United States in 2017 on a tourist visa, and within six months applied for asylum. She received Temporary Protected Status in 2023 and her asylum case is pending. Earlier in July, she was arrested by ICE agents at Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Last year, she earned her master’s degree from St. Thomas University. Wasserman Schultz spoke with Claudia via phone to learn about her treatment at the ICE facilities in Pompano Beach and Miramar.

When she spoke to Claudia, Wasserman Schultz says she described being held for eight days in the Miramar ICE facility, significantly longer than the 72 hours allowed by law. Claudia had no access to a shower or change of clothes for the entirety of her time in Miramar. She also described women sleeping on the floor and limited light. Wasserman Schultz was joined by Claudia’s friends and family for the press conference.

“Stories like Claudia’s and so many others must lead to action. Because the end of TPS means more and more of our neighbors will be targeted by ICE,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Right now, ICE agents are overrunning airports to catch law-abiding residents like Claudia, upending lives, wasting taxpayer dollars, and betraying America’s values. Every dollar we spend to build mass detention centers is a dollar not spent on making life more affordable for working families.”

“[Claudia] is living proof that the reality is much more complicated than any narrative that can be painted,” said Gabriel Dominguez, Claudia’s cousin. “We can’t allow labels to replace humanity.”

The No PREJUDICE (No Person’s Race, Ethnicity, Job, or Use of Dialect or Inflection is Cause for Enforcement) Act would ensure that that no DHS funds may be used to target people based on perceived race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. It would bar DHS from targeting people just because they are at a bus stop, car wash, a Home Depot, or any other place associated with temporary work. It would also ensure that speaking Spanish, Haitian Creole, or even English with an accent, is not a legal cause for immigration enforcement. Read the full No PREJUDICE Act here.

The Build Homes, Not Hate Act would claw back $70 billion of ICE funds from the Republican Big Ugly Law, and to use that money to solve America’s housing cost crisis and end homelessness, once and for all. By redirecting this money from incarceration to investment in home construction, conversion, and preservation, 200,000 new affordable and market-rate housing units can be generated in the most expensive regions, like South Florida. There would remain enough money left over to provide supportive housing and transitional services to every single homeless person in America. Read the full Build Homes, Not Hate Act here.

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Wasserman Schultz, Florida House Democrats Oppose Endangered Species Act Rollbacks, Demand Rule Withdrawal

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Darren Soto (FL-09), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), and Kathy Castor (FL-14) called on Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to immediately withdraw their agencies’ final rule redefining “harm” under the Endangered Species Act.

This change makes it easier for the oil, gas, and mining industries and development interests to encroach on wildlife habitat, so long as it does not directly harm threatened or endangered plants and animals themselves.

“In yet another handout to polluters, Trump is making it easier for his corporate friends to cash in on our natural resources and simply ignore protections for rare plants and animals,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Anyone who cares about Florida’s treasured Everglades, coral reefs, and the amazing wildlife that call our state home should be angry as hell about this.”

Over 100 species found in Florida are listed under the Endangered Species Act, including iconic animals like the manatee, the Florida panther, the American crocodile, and the hawksbill sea turtle. Many of these species are found nowhere else on earth.

“The rule change directly threatens the unique habitats that support the plants and animals for which our state is renowned,” wrote the Members. “Climate change coupled with unprecedented urban growth in Florida and around the nation has pushed our wildlife to the brink. This rule will significantly weaken the ESA and usher in the often-irreversible loss of habitat, hastening the extinction of plants and animals that are a vital part of our state’s culture and tourism economy.”

The rule change was followed by two other Endangered Species Act rollbacks, one which ends automatic protections for newly listed threatened species – those on the brink of endangered status – and one which gives more weight to economic factors when considering critical habitat designation.

Read the full letter here.

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Wasserman Schultz Joins Mourning, Overtown Youth Center to Announce Broward Expansion

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Hollywood, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz joined Overtown Youth Centers (OYC) Co-Founder Alonzo Mourning, Broward School District representatives, and local elected officials to announce OYC’s expansion into Broward County.

Click here to watch the full press conference.

In partnership with Broward County Public Schools (BCPS), OYC is further expanding its proven youth development model to communities in South Broward County. Through an official agreement with Broward County Public Schools, OYC expanded its programming to McNicol Middle School in Summer 2026 and will continue through the new school year.

The expansion will also offer OYC services at McNicol Middle School to students from four nearby elementary schools. This represents a strategic investment in increasing access to high-quality, outcome-driven programming for more students and families.

“I'm ecstatic that the Overtown Youth Center will bring its proven, holistic model for family and child success to Broward County,” said Wasserman Schultz. “If we truly want all our children to travel on a path of success, they must have access to sound nutrition and tutoring, STEM and arts education, and the family support systems that make it all possible. This proven enrichment blueprint is just the type of empowering infrastructure that our Broward communities deserve, and I'll support these efforts any way that I can. I'm also very proud that our Broward County School District leaders and Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy are teaming with community leader and OYC architect Alonzo Mourning, to embrace this amazing expansion opportunity to support our children and families.”

“For 25 years, I have been committed to ensuring that children and families have access to the high-quality programs they need to thrive. I know firsthand that there are a lot of champions in our communities; and my goal is to galvanize resources for our families and to nurture the gifts and talents of our young people. Through OYC and Honey Shine, our goal is to provide empowering, enriching and exposure opportunities that positions all those we serve to compete and win in this world, and I am proud to strengthen that mission through our partnership with Broward County Public Schools,” said Mourning.

“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to ensuring every child has access to meaningful opportunities that support academic growth, personal development, and long-term success. We are proud to welcome OYC’s proven programming into our schools and to expand the resources available to students and families in South Broward,” said Broward School Board Member Maura McCarthy Bulman.

OYC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire, empower, and enrich the lives of youth, adults, and families by providing a comprehensive and long-term approach to strengthening communities.

Wasserman Schultz and Mourning were also joined by Broward School Board Member Maura McCarthy Bulman, Broward Schools Deputy Superintendent Dr. Angela Fulton, McNicol Middle School Principal Deirdre Benka-Coker, Overtown Youth Center Director Tina Brown, and other local elected officials and education leaders.

Wasserman Schultz Leads 50+ Democrats in Bill to Protect TPS Holders, Restore Checks and Balances

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) introduced the TPS Review Act, which would reassert judicial and Congressional review of the executive branch’s decisions about TPS. She was joined by 58 original cosponsors, including Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Rep. Yvette Clarke, (NY-09), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06). A federal appeals court gave Haitians a temporary reprieve Wednesday from losing their deportation protections from deportation, which had been set to end Friday. That reprieve could end anytime after Monday, July 27.

The crux of the Supreme Court’s Trump v. Miot ruling that allows this threat to proceed, is that, regardless of whether the Administration’s TPS termination for Haiti and Syria was lawful, courts have no authority to assess if a decision to revoke TPS is legal. This legislation explicitly allows court reviews of TPS determination reasoning, which in the case of Haiti was clearly fueled by Trump Administration racism.

“Hundreds of thousands of families who followed the law, passed multiple criminal background checks, earned work permits, and paid taxes are at risk of being torn apart, thrown in ICE jails, or sent back to a nation overrun by criminal gangs who murder and kidnap at will because of the horrible decisions made by the Trump Administration and a MAGA Supreme Court,” said Wasserman Schultz. “This fight is not over. My TPS Review Act will restore checks and balances on the President’s handling of TPS, because nobody is above the law.”

The TPS Review Act would amend the Temporary Protected Status statute to institute judicial review, establish a cause of action for TPS recipients and their representatives to sue for relief in court, and allow Congress to reverse a TPS termination by simple majority vote under the Congressional Review Act.

This legislation will also require a standardized, documented process for the Executive Branch to review country conditions before TPS can be revoked, creating a paper trail for litigation. It places the burden of evidence on the Government to prove that a challenged TPS decision complies with these requirements.

Under this bill, TPS recipients would maintain their status and work permits automatically and indefinitely while a termination is litigated in court, eliminating the uncertainty that has harmed Florida businesses and consumers over the last year.

Original co-sponsors include: U.S. Representatives Gabe Amo, Wesley Bell, Donald Beyer, Shontel Brown, André Carson, Kathy Castor, Joaquin Castro, Judy Chu, Yvette Clarke, Angie Craig, Danny Davis, Suzan DelBene, Maxine Dexter, Adriano Espaillat, Lois Frankel, Maxwell Frost, Jesús García, Jimmy Gomez, Al Green, Adelita Grijalva, Steven Horsford, Jonathan Jackson, Henry Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Rick Larsen, John Larson, George Latimer, Zoe Lofgren, Stephen Lynch, John Mannion, Doris Matsui, Jennifer McClellan, Morgan McGarvey, James McGovern, Gregory Meeks, Jared Moskowitz, Seth Moulton, Eleanor Norton, Nancy Pelosi, Scott Peters, Brittany Pettersen, Stacey Plaskett, Mark Pocan, Ayanna Pressley, Mike Quigley, Deborah Ross, Andrea Salinas, Lateefah Simon, Adam Smith, Darren Soto, Melanie Stansbury, Rashida Tlaib, Paul Tonko, Marc Veasey, Nydia Velázquez, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Frederica Wilson.

Read the full bill here.

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