Support the Stateless Protection Act
The Issue
The UNHCR defines the stateless individual as “a person who is not considered as a national by any State under the operation of its law”. In short a stateless person has no legal citizenship to any country.
As recently as 2019, the UNHCR reported the existence of 4.2 million stateless persons worldwide. UNICEF estimates that 48 million children under the age of 5 have no legal identity, and Refugees international estimate that at least 12 million people lack effective citizenship. Over 218,000 people living in the United States today are stateless.
Stateless persons living in the United States suffer daily from restrictions in accessing basic human rights including education, healthcare, work permits, identification documents and the ability to travel. The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights officially codifies nationality as a human right meaning that all stateless persons are perpetually denied of one of their most basic rights.
On August 1st, 2023 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) the first official acknowledgement of stateless noncitizens residing in the United States. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas marked the announcement saying, “All over the world, people who are stateless live with fear and uncertainty. The DHS is fully committed to addressing the global issue of statelessness and to breaking down barriers that these individuals face in the United States. With this historic step, stateless individuals will be given the opportunity to apply for immigration protections and benefits for which they are eligible.”
Despite this new announcement, no legal structure specifically addressing statelessness exists in U.S. law. This means that while stateless persons are entitled to the protections afforded all people in the United States Bill of Rights, there are no laws that address the unique challenges faces by stateless persons or provide clear path to obtaining U.S. citizenship as a stateless person.
On December 22, 2022 Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-8) introduced the Stateless Protection Act, the first attempt at establishing a comprehensive policy addressing statelessness in the United States of America. This act, if passed, will create a clear pathway to citizenship for stateless persons in the United States. In light of the DHS announcement, Senator Cardin and Congressman Raskin are in the process of reintroducing the Stateless Protection Act.
Please sign this petition and demand that your representative defend the human right of a nationality for stateless persons and support the Stateless Protection Act when it reintroduced to congress.
Yours in solidarity,
INVISIBILITY
https://www.endstatelessness.org/
Petition Closed
The Issue
The UNHCR defines the stateless individual as “a person who is not considered as a national by any State under the operation of its law”. In short a stateless person has no legal citizenship to any country.
As recently as 2019, the UNHCR reported the existence of 4.2 million stateless persons worldwide. UNICEF estimates that 48 million children under the age of 5 have no legal identity, and Refugees international estimate that at least 12 million people lack effective citizenship. Over 218,000 people living in the United States today are stateless.
Stateless persons living in the United States suffer daily from restrictions in accessing basic human rights including education, healthcare, work permits, identification documents and the ability to travel. The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights officially codifies nationality as a human right meaning that all stateless persons are perpetually denied of one of their most basic rights.
On August 1st, 2023 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) the first official acknowledgement of stateless noncitizens residing in the United States. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas marked the announcement saying, “All over the world, people who are stateless live with fear and uncertainty. The DHS is fully committed to addressing the global issue of statelessness and to breaking down barriers that these individuals face in the United States. With this historic step, stateless individuals will be given the opportunity to apply for immigration protections and benefits for which they are eligible.”
Despite this new announcement, no legal structure specifically addressing statelessness exists in U.S. law. This means that while stateless persons are entitled to the protections afforded all people in the United States Bill of Rights, there are no laws that address the unique challenges faces by stateless persons or provide clear path to obtaining U.S. citizenship as a stateless person.
On December 22, 2022 Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-8) introduced the Stateless Protection Act, the first attempt at establishing a comprehensive policy addressing statelessness in the United States of America. This act, if passed, will create a clear pathway to citizenship for stateless persons in the United States. In light of the DHS announcement, Senator Cardin and Congressman Raskin are in the process of reintroducing the Stateless Protection Act.
Please sign this petition and demand that your representative defend the human right of a nationality for stateless persons and support the Stateless Protection Act when it reintroduced to congress.
Yours in solidarity,
INVISIBILITY
https://www.endstatelessness.org/
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Petition created on August 9, 2023