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US immigration policy has a huge blind spot: climate change

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By illuminem briefings

· 2 min read


illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Verge or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: President Biden, despite advancing climate policy, has left a critical gap for climate migrants, a group growing due to climate-driven disasters worldwide
Without formal protections, migrants escaping ecological catastrophes face a U.S. immigration system unprepared for their specific needs

🔭 The context: Biden initially proposed reforms to address climate displacement, raising advocates' hopes, but the U.S. still lacks policies to assist those forced to flee environmental disasters
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) offers some relief but is limited and excludes new arrivals, leaving many unprotected

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Climate change is displacing millions, especially from countries vulnerable to extreme weather events
Without dedicated immigration measures for climate migrants, the U.S. risks excluding many who seek refuge from the impacts of a warming planet

⏭️ What's next: Prospects for comprehensive climate migration policies remain dim, with Congress stalling on the Climate Displaced Persons Act
If Kamala Harris wins the 2024 election, she may leverage existing TPS protections for climate migrants, but lasting policy solutions are still distant

💬 One quote: “There’s been this push towards more xenophobic immigration policies…that has significant implications…for how people can seek safety as…our climate is changing,” - Ama Francis, IRAP's Climate Director

📈 One stat: Roughly 43% of surveyed migrants reported fleeing climate-related disasters like flooding, hurricanes, and extreme heat

Click for more news covering the latest on human rights and climate change

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