The Trump administration has indicated it favors cancelling the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programs that allowed around 300,000 Central Americans to live in the U.S. for decades.

Neesa Medina, an internationally-known activist with the Center for Women’s Rights in Honduras, is in the U.S. to draw attention to violence against women across the Americas. In this interview excerpt, she explains why she believes gender-based violence would skyrocket without the protections of TPS. Joining her is Christina Garcia, mobilization coordinator for Alianza Americas, a network of nearly 50 organizations that serves Latin American and Caribbean immigrants.

They’re both asking Americans to contact their elected officials in support of continuing TPS.