Cincinnati, OH – Today, Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH-01) and members of the Ohio congressional delegation introduced bipartisan legislation to provide Temporary Protected Status to Mauritanian immigrants living in the United States.

Today, Congressman Landsman joined Congressman Mike Carey (R-OH-15), Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03), and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in introducing the bipartisan TPS for Mauritania Act – legislation that would provide Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Mauritanian immigrants living in the United States for up to 18 months.

Temporary Protected Status is a designation that allows immigrants currently within the United States to remain in the country and obtain employment authorization if the conditions in their home country make it unsafe for them to return.

Since the late 1980s, Black Mauritanians have faced violent repression and expulsions. Despite slavery being criminalized in Mauritania in 2007, it persists in the country, as do harsh prisons, restricted free expression, human trafficking, and rampant discrimination. As a result of these conditions, many Mauritanians have fled to United States – with a sizeable diaspora community forming in Southwest and Central Ohio.

“Mauritanians are fleeing horrific conditions and settling here in the United States to pursue a better way of life,” said Congressman Landsman. “In Cincinnati, they’ve become an integral part of our community. Our bipartisan bill would give our Mauritanian neighbors a sense of security. It will ensure they aren’t forced to return to dangerous conditions, and allow them to continue living, working, and contributing to the communities they’ve become a part of.”

The full text of the TPS for Mauritania Act can be found here.

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