Sign this petition: Redesignate Nepal for Temporary Protected Status!

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

Adhikaar's TPS member leaders photo

Nepal remains unsafe for return due to the continuing effects of the 2015 earthquake along with the current impacts of COVID-19 and recent flooding. There are approximately 10,160 Nepali TPS holders, but currently, TPS only applies to those who have been in the United States until June 24, 2015.

This is why we request for redesignation of TPS for Nepal. The Department of Homeland Security must redesignate Nepal, which could allow anyone who has fled conditions back home in Nepal and come to the United States until now, to apply for TPS (meaning 36,795+ additional people could be eligible for TPS if we win redesignation).

Not only is Nepal unsafe for return due to the continuing effects of a devastating earthquake, the ongoing political instability, and catastrophic flooding in 2017 have widened the cracks in Nepal’s infrastructure, leaving the country vulnerable to economic, political, and societal shocks.

After nearly 10 years of political turmoil after the overthrow of absolute monarchy, Nepal had finally managed to adopt a new constitution in 2015; however, Nepal has seen four different governments in the six years since then, and the instability continues - just on July 12, 2021, the Supreme Court of Nepal has ordered the reinstatement of the parliament and the change of government after months of infighting between various political parties.

Just this May, while some countries were on their way to COVID-19 recovery, Nepal hit its peak infection rate. The lack of health resources like beds and oxygen tanks has further exacerbated the issue. Health officials reported an incredible daily positivity rate of 50 percent, with infections rising from 150 people per day to over 9,300 per day in one month. Additionally, more recent flooding extreme monsoon rains and landslides across the country have displaced entire communities.

Redesignation would not just benefit TPS holders, it would also benefit U.S. citizens and the United States as a whole. Extending TPS to thousands of Nepalis also protects thousands of U.S.-citizen children of Nepali TPS holders and prevents family separation. Current Nepali TPS holders have worked on the frontlines during the pandemic as doctors, nurses, health aides, grocery store clerks, restaurant workers, and package delivery personnel, keeping our country running, safe and healthy.

The humanitarian crisis in Nepal persists, and there is no possibility for these hardworking, essential Nepali immigrants to safely return at this time. Nepal is in no condition to receive the return of over 36,000 Nepalis and their families living in the United States. DHS Secretary Mayorkas must redesignate Nepal for TPS and extend vital humanitarian protection to those who need it.

In addition to Nepal, we encourage DHS to conduct a review for redesignation of all other countries currently with TPS protections.

*NEPALI*

यो पेटिशनमा हस्ताक्षर गरिदिनुहोस्: नेपाललाई “टेम्पोरेरी प्रोटेक्टेड स्टेटस” (टि पि एस) को लागि पुन: निर्दिष्ट (“Redesignation”) गरियोस्!

सन् २०१५ को भूकम्प र हालको कोभिड-१९ र बाडीहरुले पारेको भयावह असरको कारण नेपाल फर्कन अझै पनि असुरक्षित छ। हाल करिब १०,१६० जना नेपालीहरु टिपिएसमा छन्, तर यसमा जुन २४, २०१५ भन्दा अगाडि आएकाहरुलाई मात्र सामेल गरिएको छ।  

यिनै कारणहरुले गर्दा हामी नेपाललाई टिपिएसको लागि पुन: निर्दिष्ट (“रेडेजिग्नेट”) गरियोस् भनेर आग्रह गर्दछौं। “डिपार्टमेन्ट अफ होमल्यान्ड सेक्यूरिटी” (DHS) ले २०१५ को योग्यताको मिति पछि हाल सम्म देशको भयावह परिस्थितिबाट मुक्ति खोज्दै संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका आएका सबै नेपालीलाई सामेल गराउने गरि नेपालको लागि टिपिएस पुन: निर्दिष्ट गर्नै पर्छ। यसको मतलब यदि हामीले “रिडेजिग्नेशन” पायौं भने थप ३६,७९५ भन्दा धेरै मानिसहरु टिपिएसको लागि योग्य हुनेछन्।

नेपाल फर्कन असुरक्षित हुनुको कारण भयानक भूकम्प मात्र हैन, तर कायम रहेको राजनैतिक अस्थिरता, र सन् २०१७ को विनाशकारी बाडीले समेत देशलाई आर्थिक, राजनैतिक र सामाजिक आघात पुर्याउने गरि नेपालको भूसंरचनामा रहेको त्रुटीहरुलाई झन्नै बिगारेको छ।

तानाशाही राजतन्त्रलाई हटाएको करिब १० वर्ष जतिको राजनैतिक उत्पात पछि मात्र नेपालले नयाँ संविधान पाएको थियो। तर पनि त्यसपछि को ६ वर्षमा अहिले सम्म नेपालमा चार वटा सरकारहरु फेरिईसेके, र हाल पनि राजनैतिक अस्थिरता कायमै छ। जुलाई १२, २०२१ मा मात्रै पनि नेपालको सर्वोच्च अदालतले महिनौं देखिको राजनैतिक पार्टीहरु माझ चलिरहेको सत्ताको खिचातानीमा संसद पुनर्स्थापना गरेर सरकार बदल्ने आदेश दिएको छ।

गएको मे महिनामा जब केहि देशहरुले कोभिड-१९ बाट मुक्त हुन थालि सकेका थिए, नेपालमा भने संक्रमणको दर चरममा पुगेको थियो। अस्पतालमा बिस्तारा र अक्सिजन जस्ता स्वास्थ्यका आधारभूत साधनहरुको अभावले स्थिति निकै गम्भीर बनाएको थियो। दैनिक पोजिटिभ देखिनेको दर ५०% सम्म पुगेको स्वास्थ्य अधिकारीहरुले बताएका थिए भने, संक्रमणको दर एक महिनामा दैनिक १५० देखि दैनिक ९,३०० सम्म पुगेको थियो। यति मात्रै नभएर, हालैको अबिरल बर्षाको कारण आएको बाडी र पैरोलेको कारण पनि थुप्रै समुदायहरु विस्थआपित भएका थिए।    

टिपिएस को पुन: निर्दिष्टि (“रिडेजिग्नेशन”) ले टिपिएस वालाहरु मात्र नभई संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका र सम्पूर्ण अमेरिकी नागरिकहरुको पनि भलो गर्छ। हजारौं नेपालीहरुलाई टिपिएस दिंदा उनीहरुको हजारौं बालबच्चाको पनि सुरक्षा गर्छ, र परिवारहरुलाई छुट्टिएर बस्नु पर्ने वाध्यताबाट जोगाउँछ। हाल टिपिएसमा भएका नेपालीहरुले कोरोनाको संक्रमणको बेला अग्र पंक्तिमा रहेर काम गरेका थिए। उनीहरु मध्ये कति डाक्टर, नर्स, स्वास्थ्य सहयोगी (हेल्थ एड) थिए भने, कतिले ग्रोसरी पसल, रेस्टुरेन्ट, र डेलिभरीको काम गरेर हाम्रो देशलाई स्वस्थ र सुरक्षित तरिकाले संचालित हुन मद्दत गरेका थिए।

नेपालमा मानविय संकट जारी छ, र यि मेहनति, आवश्यक नेपाली आप्रवासीहरुलाई सुरक्षित रुपमा त्यहाँ फर्कन अहिले सम्भव छैन। हाल संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकामा बस्दै गरेका ३६,००० भन्दा धेरै नेपालीहरु र उनीहरुको परिवारहरुलाई नेपालले फिर्ता लिन सक्ने अवस्थामा छैन। DHS को सेक्रेटेरी मायोर्कासले नेपाललाई टिपिएसको लागि पुन: निर्दिष्ट (“रिषेजिग्नेट”) गर्नै पर्छ, र मानवीय सुरक्षा चाहनेहरुको लागि सहयोग गर्नै पर्छ।  

नेपालको अलावा, हाल टिपिएसको सुरक्षा पाई रहेका अन्य देशहरुको पनि “रेडेजिग्नेशन” को लागि विचार गर्न हामी DHS लाई आग्रह गर्दछौं।

To: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
From: [Your Name]

Dear Secretary Mayorkas,

We urge you to redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nepali nationals in the U.S.

Nepal remains unsafe for return due to the continuing effects of the 2015 earthquake along with COVID-19 impacts. But the current TPS only covers those who have been in the United States since June 24, 2015. There are approximately 10,160 Nepali TPS holders, but redesignation would protect upwards of 36,795 additional people who fled conditions in Nepal after the 2015 cut-off date. The humanitarian crisis persists, and there is no possibility for Nepali nationals to safely return at this time.

Nepal meets the statutory conditions for TPS on multiple grounds, as the country is unsafe for return due to the continuing effects of a devastating earthquake that make the country unable to handle the return of its nationals, as well as additional extraordinary and temporary conditions. The political instability, inequitable distribution of recovery funds, and catastrophic flooding in 2017 have widened the cracks in Nepal’s infrastructure, leaving the country vulnerable to economic, political, and societal shocks.

The global COVID-19 pandemic, political turmoil, and further record-level flooding contributed to the displacement of nearly four million people across northern India and Nepal. In May, the U.S. State Department listed Nepal as the highest level travel advisory, instructing travelers not to travel to Nepal due to the high risk of COVID-19 and political violence.

Since adopting a new constitution in 2015, Nepal has cycled through four governments in six years. The current government has proposed numerous laws to curtail the freedom of expression and has wielded the police and military against Nepali citizens. But the latest data published by the Nepali National Human Rights Commission says otherwise. It reported nearly three hundred counts of violence against civilians by military personnel, police, and former Maoist insurgents, which the government failed to investigate. The U.S. State Department’s annual human rights report on Nepal details 37 pages of human rights abuses, particularly against vulnerable populations like women, children, inmates, Tibetan refugees, and members of the Dalit minority.

On a recent survey of current Nepali TPS holders, conducted by Adhikaar in partnership with the Center for American Progress (CAP) and the U.S. Immigration Policy Center (USIPC) at the University of California, San Diego. It showed that 81.5 percent were concerned with the physical safety of themselves and their family should they be returned to Nepal.

While some countries are on their way to COVID-19 recovery, Nepal hits its peak infection rate just this May. Health officials reported an incredible daily positivity rate of 50 percent, with infections rising from 150 people per day to over 9,300 per day in one month. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention currently advises against all travel to Nepal and places that are on the highest risk level for contracting COVID-19. The prime minister of Nepal, K.P. Sharma Oli, said that though the government is making an effort toward prevention and treatment, “due to the constraints of resources and infrastructure, the pandemic is turning out to be an overwhelming burden.”

Nepal is in no condition to receive over 36,000 Nepalis and their families living in the United States. The administration must redesignate Nepal for TPS and extend vital humanitarian protection to those who need it.

We also emphasize the importance of redesignation for U.S. citizens and the United States as a whole. Extending TPS to thousands of Nepalis also protects thousands of U.S.-citizen children of Nepali TPS holders and prevents family separation should a parent be deported to dangerous conditions. Current Nepali TPS holders have worked on the frontlines during the pandemic as doctors, nurses, health aides, grocery store clerks, restaurant workers, and package delivery personnel, keeping our country running, safe, clean, and healthy.

We request that you redesignate TPS for Nepal and review for redesignation all other countries currently with TPS protections, publish a timely Federal Register Notice, and launch a culturally competent public information campaign to notify the impacted community of the decision and any actions that they must take to successfully apply. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, we also call for at least a 180-day registration period for both current TPS holders and those who would benefit under the redesignation.

Thank you,