MINNEAPOLIS – Today, COPAL Members and community advocates joined together to call for local support of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ecuador. The legislation would allow Ecuadorians already in the U.S. to stay and legally work for as long as the TPS designation is active.
Ecuadorians are being displaced from their home country at an alarming rate due to natural disasters, an economic downturn, severe political unrest, and civil armed conflict. In Minnesota, the number of asylum cases in immigration court originating from Ecuador jumped by 900% in the last five years. Minnesota now has the 10th highest Ecuadorian population in the United States.
“Countless families are still torn apart by an immigration system that fails to recognize their humanity. Children are separated from their parents, asylum seekers are turned away at the border, and undocumented individuals live in constant fear of deportation,” said Elvis Rivera, COPAL Member.
Extending TPS safeguards to Ecuadorians will ensure the safety of hundreds of thousands of individuals and families. It will contribute to the overall stability and economic growth of our country, bolster supportive communities, and mitigate the impact of forced migration. COPAL Members and supporters of TPS spoke about the additional impacts it will have in Minnesota.
“Countless families are still torn apart by an immigration system that fails to recognize their humanity. Children are separated from their parents, asylum seekers are turned away at the border, and undocumented individuals live in constant fear of deportation,” said Elvis Rivera, COPAL Member. “Comprehensive immigration reform is not just about changing laws— it’s about transforming systems. It’s about creating a society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of where they come from or how they got here”
Julio Alvarado is an Ecuadorian immigrant and COPAL Member living in Minnesota. He explains the impossible situation his community is in, as they must find ways to build a new life in the United States because going home is no longer a safe option.
“In recent months, the entire world has witnessed the wave of crime that is plaguing Ecuador,” said Alvarado. “Every story you hear breaks your heart. Upon arriving in Minnesota, our community faces another sad reality; the need for documents that allow them to work to support themselves and their loved ones. By not obtaining these documents, they also face the danger of being deported, returning them back to the wave of crime from which they fled in the first place.”
Families who are directly impacted by legislation like TPS also spoke at the event. Xiomara Marín is a Columbian immigrant who is hoping she and her children can live free of fear in Minnesota.
“In my situation, the fear of being separated from my child here and facing a deportation process is a constant anguish,” Marín said. “That is why I am here today, because I want to let you know that there are many Colombian families in my situation, and having access to D.E.D [Protection against Deportation] would give me the peace of mind to go to work knowing that I will not face the risk of forced removal, which would be a huge relief.”
To ensure temporary immigration protections for Ecuadorians in Minnesota, city council members, beginning with those in Saint Paul and Minneapolis, must call for action from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The department may designate a country for TPS when conditions prevent that country’s nationals from returning safely.
Other nations currently granted TPS status include Afghanistan, Burma, Cameroon, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen.
COPAL Education Fund is a statewide, 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization that works to build collective power, transform systems, and create opportunities for Latines to have dignified lives in Minnesota. For more information, please visit www.copalmn.org.
