Tampa, FL – On Wednesday November 12, Tampa protesters led by Tampa Immigrant Rights Coalition (Tampa IRC) rallied in front of the Federal Courthouse to demand Temporary Protected Status (TPS) be upheld for Venezuelans and to stop the deportations. They were supported by groups like Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, Tampa Food Not Bombs, and the New Era Young Lords.

TPS for Venezuelans was allowed to lapse on Friday, November 7 by the Trump administration, leaving more than 240,000 Venezuelan immigrants without legal protections against deportations and ICE raids, after another 350,000 had lost it earlier this year. A member of Tampa IRC told the crowd, “We of Tampa IRC along with all the organizations here today demand that TPS for Venezuela along with TPS for all other countries be upheld! For an attack on one is an attack on all of us!”

Other speakers also mentioned the military escalation Trump has pushed in the Caribbean and the threatened war with Venezuela. Students and immigrants chanted “No boots on the ground, no bombs in the air, U.S. out of everywhere!” and “Money for jobs and education, not for war and deportation!”

There was also mention of the 287(g) agreement pushed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on all Florida police departments, in which they can collaborate with ICE and receive funding for immigration enforcement procedures. Tampa Police Department and the University of South Florida Police have already signed onto the agreement, and the Department of Homeland Security was recently invited by the university on campus for a job fair.

The rally ended with a speech by a member of Tampa IRC who stated, “Tampa IRC not only wants ICE out of Tampa and an end to the 287(g) agreement between Tampa PD and ICE, but we also want to see our immigrant community safe from any federal agency that can detain, deport and separate them from their family!”

Attendees responded with chants of “No ban, no wall, legalization for all!” Follow Tampa IRC on Instagram and Facebook for updates on actions and events.

#TampaFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #Venzuela #TIRC

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