The US government's immigration policy has a glaring blind spot: climate change. Despite acknowledging the issue, the Biden administration has failed to provide legal protections for climate migrants, leaving millions displaced by climate disasters without a clear path to safety.

Climate-driven disasters have displaced millions worldwide, with 25 million people forced from their homes each year. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre reports that only one-quarter of these disasters are related to earthquakes, with the rest caused by wildfires, droughts, storms, floods, or weather-related events. Climate change is exacerbating these problems, strengthening hurricanes, raising sea levels, and setting the stage for explosive blazes.

The lack of action on climate migration is particularly concerning given the US's role as a global leader. The Climate Displaced Persons Act, which would create a new visa category for those forced out of their countries by climate disasters, has stalled in Congress. Meanwhile, the Trump administration's anti-immigration stance and the Biden administration's rightward pivot on immigration have only worsened the situation.

Advocacy groups are now pinning their hopes on Vice President Kamala Harris, who has acknowledged the link between climate change and unauthorized migration. They are urging her to use existing policies to grant protections to climate migrants, including parole and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations. However, even these measures would only provide temporary relief, and a more comprehensive solution is desperately needed.

The tech and startup community must recognize the significance of this issue, as climate migration will only continue to grow in the coming years. It is imperative that policymakers and innovators work together to develop solutions that address the root causes of climate displacement and provide a safe haven for those affected.