McGovern, Jim RSS Articles

McGovern, Merkley, Duckworth, Walkinshaw Urge Trump Administration: Do Not Deport People Back to Persecution and Torture in China

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Yesterday, Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), along with Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Representative James R. Walkinshaw (D-VA), sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling on the Trump Administration to protect people who have fled repression in China and could face persecution or torture if they are sent back.

McGovern, Merkley, Duckworth, and Walkinshaw all serve on the CECC—a congressional commission that monitors and documents human rights violations in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

In the letter, the lawmakers called on the U.S. government to stop the practice of detaining at-risk individuals, release those currently in detention, prohibit them from being deported to the PRC, and give fair and timely consideration of their applications for asylum.

“Many people who have fled persecution in the PRC come to the United States with an expectation that they can find refuge,” the Members wrote. “They should be given every opportunity to apply for asylum if they have not yet done so and given fair and timely consideration of such application for asylum or other protection. Under no circumstances should at-risk individuals be deported to the PRC.”

The Members also made the letter public so immigration attorneys and advocates can use it in cases involving Uyghurs, Hong Kongers, Tibetans and others who fear persecution if returned to China.

“There are likely many more detainees at ICE facilities, perhaps lacking representation, who fear deportation to a country run by a government that seeks to do them harm,” the Members continued. “There are perhaps others who have already been sent back to the PRC who are now experiencing persecution, torture or worse. Thus, we see value in making this letter and its message public.”

The letter notes that the U.S. government deporting an individual to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened (also known as “refoulement”) would violate both United States and international law, and would also be a betrayal of that promise by then-Senator Marco Rubio to provide refuge to those subject to the repression of the Chinese Communist Party, when he introduced the Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act and the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act.

The full text of the letter is available here.

McGovern, Warren, Pressley Tout Historic New Law to Combat High Cost of Housing in America

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WORCESTER – Yesterday, Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, alongside Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) visited the Worcester YMCA to discuss the historic 21^st Century ROAD to Housing Act and how the new law will make it easier to build new housing, lower housing costs, and—for the first time ever—counter private equity from buying single-family homes.

The lawmakers also discussed the development of Grandfamily Villages, an effort by Senior Connection to provide affordable housing for seniors and their families in Worcester. They heard from families and community leaders about what more can be done to address the housing crisis in Massachusetts.

“The ROAD to Housing Act is a big deal for communities across the country,” said Congressman McGovern. “Everywhere I go, I hear from families struggling to find housing they can afford. I’m grateful to Senator Warren for her leadership in getting this important legislation passed. This is going to make a real difference for people across the Commonwealth and throughout the country. I’m also proud to be working alongside amazing partners like Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley on our Grandfamily Housing Act to make sure grandparents raising grandchildren have the support they need. These grandparents stepped up for their families, and we need to step up for them, too. That’s what the Grandfamily Village is all about, and I’ll keep fighting to get projects like this across the finish line.”

“America is in a housing crisis, and it’s hitting families hard here in Massachusetts. I’m proud to have worked with Congresswoman Pressley and Congressman McGovern to pass the biggest housing bill in decades into law,” said Senator Warren. “This new law will help lower housing costs and for the first time ever stop private equity from buying up single family homes. Thanks to the leadership of Congresswoman Pressley, the new law also includes an Innovation Fund which will help our state build more housing and upgrade our infrastructure. This is one step forward. We have much more work to do to lower costs for Massachusetts families.”

“I’m proud to work with Senator Warren and Ranking Member Waters to deliver this historic housing package to support safe, stable, and accessible housing for families in Massachusetts and throughout the country,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “The ROAD to Housing Act and my four bills within it will bring essential relief to Americans struggling amid Trump’s housing and affordability crises—and I’ll keep pushing to pass our Grandfamily Housing Act without delay. Every individual, family, and grandfamily deserves a place of refuge, rest, and peace. It’s time that we treat housing like human right that it is.”

Other participants of the roundtable included: State Senator Robyn Kennedy, State Representative David LeBoeuf, Worcester City Manager Eric Batista, Moses Dixon, President & CEO, Senior Connection, Joanne Calista, CEO, Center for Health Impact, and several grandparents raising their grandchildren.

McGovern has worked for years to support grandparents raising grandchildren and address the unique housing challenges facing grandfamilies.

He recently secured $1.2 million in federal funding for a Grandparents Raising Grandkids Resource Center in Worcester to help connect grandparent-led households throughout central Massachusetts with housing, transportation, health, food, education and other services.

In 2018, his bipartisan Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act was signed into law, creating a federal advisory council to identify and share resources for grandparents and other relatives raising children.

In 2019, after McGovern and Pressley held a roundtable in Worcester to hear directly from grandparents about the challenges they face, the lawmakers introduced the Grandfamily Housing Act, which would help grandfamilies access safe, affordable and age-appropriate housing and supportive services. They reintroduced the legislation in 2021, and it passed the House in 2022.

McGovern and Pressley introduced the latest version, H.R. 5916, the Grandfamily Housing Act of 2025, in November 2025.

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McGovern Introduces Big Tech Accountability Act to Protect Americans’ Privacy and Hold Tech Giants Accountable

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Today, Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA) introduced the Big Tech Accountability Act to protect Americans’ online privacy and personal autonomy and hold powerful technology corporations accountable for the harms caused by their platforms.

“Big Tech companies have an enormous amount of power over what we see, what we share, and what happens to our personal information—and for too long, the rules governing that power simply haven’t kept pace,” said Congressman McGovern. “These platforms should not get a free pass to exploit people’s private data or design systems that knowingly push dangerous content because outrage and division are good for business. This bill is an effort to put some reasonable guardrails in place, give people more control over their own information, and make sure enormously powerful corporations can be held accountable for the choices they make.”

A handful of Big Tech corporations have enormous influence over how Americans communicate, consume information, and participate in public life. At the same time, their business models rely heavily on collecting and monetizing personal data and using algorithms designed to keep users engaged—often by promoting increasingly inflammatory or sensational content.

The Big Tech Accountability Act provides a framework for addressing both concerns: protecting Americans from the commercial exploitation of their personal information while establishing greater accountability when technology companies actively target and amplify fraudulent disinformation, threats, or criminal violence.

The bill is backed by Free Speech For People, a national nonpartisan nonprofit organization that works to limit the influence of money in politics and protect our democracy.

“By protecting the biggest social media companies from accountability, current federal law allows them to profit with impunity from amplifying threats of violence and disinformation and exploiting personal information,” said Ben Clements, Chairman and Senior Legal Advisor of Free Speech For People. “While this model has made billions for the world’s largest corporations and their owners, it has come at a grave cost to our democracy, to the ability of government to function in the 21st Century, and to the dignity, safety, and privacy of our people. By subjecting the big social media companies to the same accountability that applies to the rest of us, the Big Tech Accountability Act is a long overdue step toward putting people, not corporations and billionaires, first.”

The Big Tech Accountability Act would establish stronger protections for Americans’ personal information and limit the ability of technology companies to exploit that information for profit. It would also create greater accountability when social media companies actively target and amplify fraudulent disinformation, threats, or criminal violence through their algorithms.

Bill text is available here.

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McGovern, Khanna, and Meeks Lead Colleagues in Demanding the Trump Administration Explain Decision to Lift Sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong Officials

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Today, Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Raking Member of the Congressional-Commission on China, Ro Khanna, Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and six other House Members sent a letter to President Trump expressing serious concern about his decision to allow an Executive Order to lapse. The decision resulted in sanctions relief for Chinese and Hong Kong officials complicit in Beijing’s dismantling of Hong Kong’s autonomy.

“The lapse of the national emergency has already resulted in significant changes to the sanctions status of dozens of Hong Kong and Beijing officials, and it raises serious questions about the durability of U.S. policy toward Hong Kong that we believe warrant a direct response from the Administration,” wrote the Members of Congress. “In effect, this amounts to a downgrade in sanctions exposure for 39 individuals, including the sitting Chief Executive and Chief Secretary of Hong Kong.”

In his first term, President Trump issued Executive Order 13936 to employ emergency authorities to strip Hong Kong of its preferential trade and export-control treatment it had previously enjoyed as a distinct customs territory and authorize sanctions against individuals. In July 2026, President Trump declined to renew the Executive Order, thereby lifting sanctions on key individuals and sending a signal that the loss of Hong Kong’s autonomy is no longer a major concern for the U.S. government.

“We are also concerned about the circumstances surrounding this decision. The PRC’s Ministry of Commerce has publicly stated that the non-renewal implements understandings reached during the U.S.-PRC economic and trade consultations in Madrid, and that the United States made commitments concerning Hong Kong and investment-related issues during those talks,” wrote the Members of Congress. “If accurate, this would mean that sanctions relief for officials responsible for prosecuting pro-democracy activists was used as a bargaining chip in unrelated trade negotiations.”

The Members requested answers from the President about the decision, including justification for easing sanctions on complicit individuals, whether the decision was part of any quid-pro-quo with PRC officials, and whether the Administration is committed to securing the release of publisher and prominent pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai.

McGovern, Castro lead 5 Members of Congress in asking new Colombian President to support broad range of shared priorities including human rights

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Today, Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, along with Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Westen Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and five other House Members sent a letter to new Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella supporting continued partnership between the United States and Colombia on a broad range of shared priorities.

“The United States and Colombia have worked in close partnership on a broad range of shared priorities, including security, counternarcotics cooperation, peace, trade and investment, education, migration, the promotion of labor and human rights, and the rights and inclusion of Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities,” wrote Representatives McGovern and the other Members of Congress. “This partnership has transcended partisan divides, regardless of who leads our nations.”

Abelardo Gabriel De La Espriella was sworn in as President of Colombia on August 7, 2026, after narrowly winning the runoff election on June 21.

In the letter, the Members of Congress say, ”we stand ready to work with your administration to address these challenges and advance our shared interests,” and make the following points:

“Colombia's complex and longstanding security challenges require … sustained collaboration with civil society, a stronger civilian state presence, and viable economic alternatives that allow communities to turn away from illicit activities;”
“[S]ignificant inequalities in access to education, employment, and economic opportunity remain, particularly for Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities and for those from rural and disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds” that must be addressed; and
“The 2016 peace accord, which the U.S. Congress supported on a bipartisan basis, remains a cornerstone for addressing the structural challenges facing your nation. Its transitional justice system, lauded by experts worldwide, remains the most sophisticated model available for advancing truth, justice, and accountability for the many crimes committed by parties to the conflict.”

The five other members who signed the letter include Representatives Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), and Dina Titus (D-NV).

The full text of the letter is available here.

McGovern Tells Secretary Rubio: Prioritize Human Rights in Engagement with Central Sahel

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Today, Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to center human rights and civilian protection in all United States engagement in the Central Sahel, a region in West Africa that encompasses Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

Citing expert testimony delivered at a May 14 hearing of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, the letter raises alarms about the “precarity and violence of life in the region, which boasts the world’s fastest growing theaters for armed Islamists allied to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.” It notes that “security forces in the Central Sahel have adopted an aggressive counterterrorism approach and themselves been implicated in widespread violations of international humanitarian law.”

“Human rights violations and war crimes by government forces and their allies are significant drivers of recruitment into armed groups,” McGovern wrote. “For this reason, meaningful improvement in the regional security situation cannot be achieved unless human rights and civilian protection are treated as the non-negotiable foundation of engagement with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.”

The letter calls on Secretary Rubio to:

Ensure that any provision of foreign assistance occurs in strict compliance with human rights conditions in U.S. law;
Designate human rights violators for targeted sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act;
Provide public explanation of the lifting of sanctions on individuals who could be implicated in serious human rights abuses, such as the February 2026 delisting of three Malian officials linked to Russia's abusive Wagner Group;
Consistent with the Elie Wiesel Act, assess the risk of future atrocities in the Central Sahel and report to Congress on regional atrocity prevention;
Demand the immediate release of arbitrarily detained political figures, journalists, and civil society;
Support inclusive, local peace processes; and
Increase humanitarian and development aid for essential local services to minimize the grievances that extremist groups exploit.

The full text of the letter is available here.

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Federal Disaster Relief for Massachusetts Farmers, Secured by McGovern, Finally on the Way

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WORCESTER, MA – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) announced today that over $42 million in federal disaster relief he secured in December 2024, is finally heading to Massachusetts farmers.

The money comes from a $220 million New England disaster block grant program written by McGovern and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), enacted into law by President Biden in late 2024. Designed specifically to support small and mid-sized producers—particularly those in states like Massachusetts who are often shut out of traditional U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs—the program compensates farmers for crop losses and storm-related damage to on-farm infrastructure sustained during severe weather events in 2023 and 2024.

“I’m thrilled our farmers will finally get the relief they were promised,” said McGovern. “Trump Administration policies are raising costs on producers and making it even harder to farm. This funding will not only help farmers recover from devastating losses, but it will also help Massachusetts continue to build a resilient regional food system that will feed families across our commonwealth. I am grateful to Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle and Deputy Commissioner Winton Pitcoff, State Senator Jo Comerford, and former State Representative Natalie Blais for their leadership in making this relief for farmers possible."

McGovern and DeLauro, top Democrats on the Rules and Appropriations Committees, repeatedly pushed top USDA officials in letters, phone calls, and meetings to comply with the law and release the funds—ultimately forcing the Trump Administration to do so. Massachusetts recently executed its contract with USDA, and this week is announcing a process for impacted farmers to apply for funding to support their continued farming operations.

Massachusetts is home to nearly 7,100 farms—roughly 2,000 of which lie in Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin Counties, areas devastated by 2023 flooding of the Connecticut River and battered by multiple severe weather events. Many small farms in the region are ineligible for crop insurance or find USDA aid programs too cumbersome to access, putting them at higher risk of closure following natural disasters.

McGovern has long been a champion for small family farms and regional food systems. In addition to creating this disaster program in Congress, he previously helped raise and distribute $3.2 million in philanthropic relief and supported $20 million in state-level grants to keep Bay State farms in business following the 2023 storms.

27 Members of Congress Release Joint Statement on Massie Amendment to Republican Foreign Aid Budget Bill

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Today, 27 Members of Congress, led by Congressman Jim McGovern, Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, released the following statement in advance of voting yes on Amendment #8, which would halt certain U.S. funding to Israel, to the National Security, Department of State and Related Programs Appropriations Act:

“As Members of Congress, it is our duty to ensure that our constituents’ hard-earned money is used in a way that advances America’s interests and values. For this reason, we do not support providing an additional $3.3 billion of American taxpayer dollars to be used for Israeli military operations in Gaza and Lebanon—operations which have killed tens of thousands of civilians, led to the indiscriminate destruction of civilian infrastructure, and caused severe and ongoing humanitarian catastrophes. These are just the latest in a long string of human rights violations inflicted on Palestinian civilians. For nearly six decades, Israeli security forces and military authorities have enforced the occupation of the Palestinian territories, including through restrictions on freedom of movement, arbitrary detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings. It is clear that existing human rights conditions on the use of American security assistance have not been meaningfully enforced. Enough is enough.

“Palestinians and Israelis alike deserve peace, freedom, security, stability, and self-determination. Those aims will only be achieved when their inherent dignity and inalienable rights are at the center of U.S. policy in the region. Diplomacy is the answer, and as long as America provides constant funding for more war, peace will always remain out of reach.

“Our vote should not be interpreted as opposition to initiatives such as the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act programs or others that foster people-to-people engagement, strengthen civil society, and advance the long-term prospects for a just and lasting peace. We remain committed to supporting these and similar programs while ensuring that U.S. taxpayer dollars advance peace, security, and American interests and values.”

The statement was released by Representatives: Becca Balint (D-VT), Don Beyer (D-VA), Greg Casar (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Maxine Dexter (D-OR), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL), Adelita S. Grijalva (D-AZ), Val Hoyle (D-OR), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL), Emily Randall (D-WA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Jill N. Tokuda (D-HI), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), and Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY).

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McGovern, Casar Introduce Fair Seeds for Farmers Act to Address Affordability Crisis, Put America’s Farmers and Families Ahead of Billionaire Big Ag Corporations

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Today, Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Congressman Greg Casar (D-TX) introduced the Fair Seeds for Farmers Act, new legislation aimed to break up Big Ag, protect farmers, lower food costs, and strengthen the U.S. food system by curbing corporate abuse of seed patents.

The legislation comes as a small number of giant multinational conglomerates exercise increasing control over the seeds that are vital for planting crops and growing food. These companies use sweeping patent claims and threats of litigation to essentially control what farmers plant and force them to buy expensive products—driving up costs for those that grow food and those who buy it at the grocery store.

“Food is one of the most basic promises we make to one another: that the people who grow it can make a decent living, and the families they feed can afford to eat. But right now, that promise has been broken thanks to billionaire Big Ag conglomerates who are ripping off both the farmers at the beginning of the food chain and the hardworking folks at the end of it,” said Congressman Jim McGovern. “We have a system right now in this country where corporate giants are pocketing massive profits—ripping off farmers and in turn ripping off families buying food at the grocery store. It’s wrong, and our bill is about starting to change the broken status quo by rebuilding America’s food system from the ground up.”

“Every working American knows that groceries are just too expensive,” said Congressman Greg Casar. “By abusing seed patents, big ag companies are putting family farms out of business and driving up the price of food for everyone else. I’m proud to be working with Rep. McGovern on this new bill, which is a key part of the Progressive Caucus’ New Affordability Agenda.”

"Seeds are a foundational building block of our food system—and farmers need seeds that are publicly available and adapted to organic and sustainable production in their bioregion. Our food system is at dire risk when seed intellectual property ownership resides with corporations motivated solely by their bottom line. Seed-dominating corporations leverage utility patents to restrict access to innovative and adaptable seed varieties and reduce competition. For decades, RAFI has called for reforms to seed intellectual property law that restore grower sovereignty over seeds. By limiting corporate control over seed and plant intellectual property, the Fair Seeds for Farmers Act will empower seed breeders across the food system to add to the collective biodiversity of seed and develop varieties more resilient to weather, pest, and disease pressures,” said Aaron Johnson, Policy Co-Director, Rural Advancement Foundation International.

“The hyperconsolidation and commodification of seeds has eroded farmers’ resilience and diminished the agrobiodiversity of crops cultivated in the US at an alarming rate. Farmers play an important role in seed development by nurturing adaptable seed varieties that can help create a more resilient and affordable food system - yet commodification has recently hindered farmers ability to participate in this essential first component of farming. The Fair Seeds for Farmers Act takes an important step in curtailing corporate abuse of US Patent Law and reaffirms farmers and researchers ability to breed, experiment, propagate, and save seeds without fear of retaliation from large seed companies,” said Nick Rossi, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Policy Specialist.

The Fair Seeds for Farmers Act is part of the Congressional Progressive Caucus’s New Affordability Agenda, a slate of proposals to address the nation’s cost-of-living crisis by making essential goods and services cheaper, putting more money back into families’ pockets, and taking on wealthy special interests that have rigged the economy against working people. Specifically, the legislation would:

Limit the patentability of seeds to the protections available under the Plant Variety Protection Act and the Plant Patent Act. The change would apply to pending and future patents while leaving existing patents unaffected.
Prevent corporate seed companies from restricting farmers and researchers from breeding, experimenting with, propagating, or saving seeds, including through burdensome contracts.
Define key plant-breeding terms under federal law to protect the integrity of intellectual property claims involving seeds and plants.

By reducing excessive corporate control over seeds, the bill would give farmers greater control over what they grow, protect independent seed companies and public research, and help lower costs at the beginning of the food supply chain.

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McGovern Leading 80 Members of Congress Urging DHS to Extend Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—80 Members of Congress, led by Congressman James P. McGovern (D-MA), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, sent a letter yesterday afternoon urging U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to extend the Temporary Protected Status designation for El Salvador, which is currently set to expire on September 9, 2026.

“Not only do the conditions that initially warranted TPS designation for El Salvador in 2001 persist, but serious new humanitarian, economic, and human rights crises compound El Salvador’s inability to handle the return of its nationals,” write the lawmakers in their letter. “The over 200,000 Salvadoran TPS holders currently living in the United States have built deep roots in this country over more than 25 years. Terminating their status would cause immeasurable harm to them, to their U.S.-citizen children and families, and to the American communities and economy they support.”

Salvadoran TPS holders make substantial contributions to the American economy. Nine out of ten Salvadoran TPS holders participate in the U.S. workforce, contributing $5.4 billion to the economy and paying $1.5 billion in federal, state, and local taxes annually. They work in industries facing chronic labor shortages, including construction, transportation, manufacturing, food service, and building and grounds maintenance. Many have lived here lawfully for more than 25 years, building businesses, working in critical industries, paying taxes, and raising families. More than 150,000 children, all U.S. citizens, have a Salvadoran TPS-holder parent in the American workforce. Despite decades of lawful residence and deep ties to the United States, many TPS holders have no available pathway to permanent status under current immigration law. Approximately 20% of Salvadoran TPS holders arrived in the United States at age 16 or younger. Forcing them to leave would mean removal to a country where they have few ties and would be at risk of violence.

The new letter also details the grave human rights conditions Salvadoran TPS holders could face if deported. Human rights organizations in El Salvador have documented mass arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, mass trials, the detention of more than 3,000 children, and more than 500 deaths in custody since 2022. Independent reports have also found that migrants deported to El Salvador are commonly incarcerated upon arrival without judicial review or due process. Under federal law, TPS must be extended when conditions prevent a designated country from adequately handling the return of its nationals.

“Ongoing state-sponsored human rights violations, a state of exception with no end in sight, economic fragility, collapsed public services, and documented patterns of detaining and disappearing deportees all confirm that El Salvador cannot handle the return of its nationals at this time,” write the lawmakers.

The statutory standard for TPS stipulates that TPS must be extended if the designated country is unable to adequately handle the return of its nationals.

“El Salvador clearly meets that standard today,” conclude the lawmakers.

The letter is endorsed by the National TPS Alliance, American Business Immigration Coalition, Allianza Americas, National Day Laborer Organizing Network, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), CASA, CARCEN-LA, FWD.us, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

The full text of the letter is available here.

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McGovern has championed Temporary Protected Status since helping to create the program as a congressional staffer more than three decades ago. Throughout his career, he has been a global voice for human rights, using his position as Co-Chair of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission to defend political prisoners, protect vulnerable communities, and hold governments accountable for human rights abuses around the world.