Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Introduces the Respect for Essential Workers Act to Protect Workers and Provide a Path to Permanent Residency

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick introduced the Respect for Essential Workers Act, to protect workers with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and give them a clear path to becoming permanent residents.

TPS holders produce $21 billion to bolster U.S. economy contributing $5.2 billion in tax revenue across federal, payroll, state, and local levels. In Florida, the largest population of TPS holders in the U.S., over 403,000 residents work in health care, emergency response, food supply, construction, transportation, hospitality, and home and family care. They showed up during the pandemic and continue to fill jobs that communities rely on every day. But many still face the risk of deportation if their TPS status ends, regardless of the years spent living and working here.

The Respect for Essential Workers Act would:

• Stop the deportation of TPS holders simply because their TPS status has ended; and

• Allow eligible essential workers to apply for permanent residency starting 90 days after the bill becomes law.

The bill covers workers in essential industries and in areas with health care shortages, as identified by the Department of Labor and federal health agencies. These are the people who care for our families, grow and deliver our food, rebuild after disasters, and keep local businesses running.

The Respect for Essential Workers Act supports American workers and businesses, strengthens our communities, and recognizes the real contributions of people who have built their lives here. Protecting these workers is the right thing to do, and it matters for our economy and public health.

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