NEW YORK \u2013\u00a0Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani visited Lulla\u2019s restaurant in Brooklyn, where he joined Venezuelan New Yorkers, community members, Commissioner\u00a0of the Mayor\u2019s Office of International Affairs\u00a0Ana Maria Archila, Commissioner\u00a0of the Mayor\u2019s Office of Immigrant Affairs\u00a0Faiza\u00a0N.\u00a0Ali and volunteers\u00a0packing\u00a0food, medicine and\u00a0other critical\u00a0supplies\u00a0for families\u00a0affected by the devastating earthquakes\u00a0in Venezuela. The restaurant has become one of the\u00a0region\u2019s\u00a0largest donation\u00a0hubs\u00a0for earthquake relief.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn moments like this, it is ordinary people who\u00a0show us what solidarity looks like.\u00a0That is exactly what is happening at Lulla\u2019s,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Mayor Zohran Mamdani.\u00a0\u201cNew Yorkers are stepping up to care for people\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0never met because they understand our humanity does not end at our borders. As families in Venezuela grieve unimaginable loss, we\u00a0will stand with Venezuelan New Yorkers\u00a0here at home.\u00a0And we will keep demanding that the federal government\u00a0redesignate\u00a0Temporary Protected Status for Venezuela and\u00a0restore\u00a0humanitarian protections for those living in the\u00a0United States. After two major earthquakes\u00a0and years of\u00a0political instability,\u00a0no honest person can\u00a0argue\u00a0that\u00a0Venezuela is safe to return\u00a0to.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
On June 24, two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela\u00a0near\u00a0the coast west of Caracas. More than 2,000 people have died, and the United Nations estimates\u00a0as many as 50,000\u00a0remain\u00a0unaccounted for. The disaster\u00a0struck\u00a0a country already\u00a0grappling with\u00a0years of economic and political crisis, leaving\u00a0hospitals and emergency services\u00a0overwhelmed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNew York City is home to a growing Venezuelan community. For thousands of families across the five boroughs, this is not a distant tragedy\u00a0\u2013 it is deeply personal. Within hours of the earthquakes, Venezuelan New Yorkers organized,\u201d\u00a0said Commissioner of International Affairs Ana Maria Archila. \u201cRestaurants, businesses and volunteers\u00a0transformed\u00a0more than\u00a020 locations across the tri-state area into donation hubs. Ivo Diaz turned Lulla\u2019s into one of the first and largest collection\u00a0sites.\u00a0Our administration is identifying ways the\u00a0city\u00a0can support these community-led relief efforts\u00a0while sharing\u00a0our\u00a0expertise\u00a0as Venezuela moves emergency response\u00a0to\u00a0the long work of recovery and rebuilding.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The federal government moved to\u00a0terminate\u00a0Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans,\u00a0ending\u00a0protections that\u00a0had been scheduled to remain in place\u00a0through October 2026. Although a\u00a0federal appeals court found that decision unlawful,\u00a0hundreds of thousands\u00a0of Venezuelans\u00a0have already lost their\u00a0protected\u00a0status while the\u00a0litigation\u00a0continues, and the\u00a0remaining TPS designation is set to\u00a0expire later\u00a0this\u00a0year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the thousands of Venezuelan New Yorkers who call our city home, this tragedy is not\u00a0far away. They are\u00a0anxiously\u00a0trying to reach loved ones\u00a0while finding every\u00a0possible way\u00a0to get\u00a0lifesaving\u00a0resources to families recovering from these devastating earthquakes,\u201d\u00a0said Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs Faiza N. Ali. \u201cToday’s visit to Lulla’s reflects the very best of New York City:\u00a0our compassion,\u00a0our\u00a0resilience and\u00a0our\u00a0commitment to\u00a0one another. We will continue\u00a0working alongside community leaders to support\u00a0relief efforts across our city. This disaster has deepened an already\u00a0severe\u00a0humanitarian crisis. We urge the federal government to use every\u00a0humanitarian\u00a0tool\u00a0available,\u00a0including\u00a0authorizing Deferred Enforced Departure or redesignating Temporary Protected Status for Venezuela, so Venezuelan families can remain safely in the United States\u00a0while\u00a0continuing to\u00a0support\u00a0their loved ones here and abroad.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
New Yorkers who want to help can volunteer at Lulla\u2019s,\u00a0169 Graham Ave. in Brooklyn.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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