Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez of New Jersey, described the meeting as "positive, constructive conversation about a wide range of issues in the immigration space that we feel that the administration should be considering." 

Sen. Alex Padilla of California, chair of the Judiciary Committee’s immigration panel, and Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico were also part of the conversation.  

It was the first time this calendar year that Mayorkas had met in-person with the four Congressional Hispanic Caucus senators, notes Monyak.  

Meanwhile, the 5th Circuit paused the administration’s appeal of a district court injunction that would officially end Title 42 that same day, reports Britain Eakin of Law360. 

Related to the border, Peter Svarzbein, former El Paso city councilman, offers a reflection for CNN about what it means to be part of one of the largest binational communities in the world — El Paso and Ciudad Juárez.  He underscores how "the border is a blessing for people on both sides." 

My colleagues, Dynahlee, Thea, and Oula wrote similar reflections about the beauty and welcome of this place last year – the wonderful people that make it up — and the bipartisan, meaningful solutions needed to move forward.  

Welcome to Wednesday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Clara Villatoro, the Forum’s strategic communications manager, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Dynahlee Padilla-Vasquez and Katie Lutz. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send  it to me at [email protected]. 

TEXAS TALENT — A new report by the nonprofit American Immigration Council shows that workforce shortages in Texas could be filled by immigrant workers, reports Sandra Sanchez of Border Report. "For Texas to remain competitive and address critical shortages of physicians and other healthcare workers, it will be crucial to implement policies that not only attract and retain global talent that is complementary to the U.S.-born workforce, but that also build career pathways for immigrants who already call the state home," per the report. 

TPS PENDING — The fate of 300,000 migrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal "is in the hands of the Biden administration after a federal appeals court in San Francisco withdrew a 2020 ruling that had upheld President Donald Trump’s deportation order," reports Bob Egelko of the San Francisco Chronicle. In November 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services extended Temporary Protected Status to current recipients from those countries through June 2024, but a permanent solution is still pending. 

UKRAINIAN AID — The U.N.’s humanitarian aid and refugee agencies announced Wednesday that they are seeking $5.6 billion to support millions of people internally displaced in Ukraine, in light of Russia’s invasion almost a year ago, reports Jamey Keaten of the Associated Press. The funds would also aid other countries who have offered refuge to Ukrainians who fled.  

FINDING REFUGE — Migrant shelters supported by the Christian network Fellowship Southwest are offering refuge to asylum seekers, especially women and children fleeing cartel violence, reports Jeff Brumley of the Baptist News Global. "This is the safest we have felt. We are a long way from home," said a Colombian woman who has a 5-year-old son. 

Thanks for reading, 

Clara