FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

November 4, 2025

MEDIA CONTACT: 

e: jessica.myers@mail.house.gov

c: 202.913.0126

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) led 43 of her colleagues in a letter to Secretary Kristi Noem of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) urging the immediate designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Jamaica following the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa:

“Jamaica is currently confronting widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. The storm has left countless residents without homes, electricity, clean water, or access to medical care. Roads and vital infrastructure have been destroyed, communities are struggling to recover, and the Government of Jamaica faces immense challenges in restoring essential services. Tens of thousands have been displaced, and recovery is expected to take months—if not years. Under these conditions, it would be unsafe and inhumane to require Jamaican nationals currently residing in the United States to return home,” wrote the Members. “The United States has a longstanding and close relationship with Jamaica. Congress established TPS precisely for moments such as this—when natural disasters or humanitarian crises render a country temporarily uninhabitable. Extending TPS to Jamaican nationals would reaffirm our nation’s commitments and ensure that individuals are not forced to return to life-threatening conditions.

The full text of the letter is available here.

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