Urge Government of Nepal to Formally Request TPS, backed by 50+ U.S. organizations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2026
Urge Government of Nepal to Formally Request TPS, backed by 50+ U.S. organizations
Joint appeal by NRNA USA and Adhikaar builds on bipartisan support from 57 Members of US Congress amid Nepal's ongoing humanitarian crisis.
NEW YORK, NY — The Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) USA and Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice, joined by more than 50 Nepali and allied organizations across the United States, have submitted a joint appeal urging the Government of Nepal to formally request a new Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation from the United States Government following the catastrophic August 26, 2026 Bhote Koshi floods.
The appeal builds on two formal congressional requests, led respectively by Representative Tom Suozzi and Representatives Judy Chu, Grace Meng, and Raja Krishnamoorthi, with bipartisan support from 57 Members of Congress. The campaign also calls for Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) and a temporary pause on deportations as additional immediate protections.
The devastating August 26 Bhote Koshi floods at the Nepal-Tibet border and subsequent climate-related disasters, including the October 11 Budhi Gandaki flooding in Gorkha, have deepened Nepal’s humanitarian crisis. As communities struggle to recover, Nepalis in the United States are grieving loved ones and supporting families back home while facing growing risks of detention, deportation, and family separation.
“Following the devastating 2015 earthquake, the Government of Nepal issued a formal request for TPS within weeks. Nearly two months have passed since the August 26 disaster, and with each passing day, the uncertainty and risks facing Nepali families only grow,” said Satendra Shah, President, NRNA USA Coordinating Committee. “As we enter the festival season, when families should be coming together, many instead fear separation. We cannot emphasize enough the urgency of this appeal. We urge the Government of Nepal to act without further delay.”
“We are hearing devastating accounts from our community in New York. A flood survivor from Rasuwa watched his entire life savings washed away in minutes, while another member originally from Nuwakot reported losing more than 10 relatives and family members,” said Mamta Gurung Nyangmi, Interim Executive Director of Adhikaar. “As we saw following the 2015 earthquake, remittances from Nepalis abroad increased, becoming an even more vital lifeline for families rebuilding their lives. At a time when Nepal needs its diaspora more than ever, deportation and family separation would only deepen this suffering. Protecting Nepalis abroad is part of Nepal’s recovery.”
Under the environmental-disaster provisions of U.S. TPS law, a formal request from the affected government is a critical step toward consideration of a new designation. The coalition urges the Government of Nepal to take immediate diplomatic action to strengthen ongoing congressional and community efforts.
The organizational appeal emerged from a September 24 community convening hosted by Adhikaar and NRNA New York Chapter and subsequently expanded to organizations across the United States.
As families observe Dashain, the coalition emphasizes the importance of solidarity across borders and calls on the Government of Nepal to take immediate diplomatic action to protect its nationals abroad.
About the Organizations
NRNA USA connects and represents Nepali diaspora communities across the United States.
Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice is a Queens, NY based, women-led, immigrant-led organization advancing the rights and collective power of Nepali-speaking and Himalayan communities.
Media Contact:
Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice
communications@adhikaar.org
The joint letter and list of organizational signatories are available upon request.