The Future of TPS Status for Honduras and El Salvador

Activists nationwide are urging the Trump Administration to renew TPS immigration permits for individuals from Honduras and El Salvador.

This movement is led by a group of 22 Democratic senators, including Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland and Sen. Time Kaine of Virginia. The Senators wrote to Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke to ask her to renew the special designations for Honduras and El Salvador.

The Senators wrote that the U.S. would lose tens of thousands of people from the labor force, and that these individuals contribute to the economic growth and taxes of the nation.

Failure of the Trump Administration to renew the special designations would return more than 250,000 people to these two countries. The return of these individuals would also have destabilizing affects on Honduras and El Salvador, countries attempting to achieve economic prosperity.

The program that has granted these permits, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), has supposedly exceeded its original intent and has become a fixture of the immigration system since 1990, since it is seemingly always renewed.

David Lapan, spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security reiterated that the program was meant to be temporary. This has not been the case in the past. In failing to renew this program, the Trump Administration argues that they are simply following the rule of law.

What is TPS?

TPS is granted to countries hit by extraordinary circumstances like natural disasters or war. Citizens of countries granted TPS may live and work in the U.S. while conditions in the home country improve.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reevaluates countries under TPS periodically to decide whether to revoke or renew the status. 10 countries are currently covered by TPS status. DHS will decide in November whether to renew or revoke the status for Honduras and El Salvador.

El Salvador was granted TPS status in 2001 after three earthquakes hit an already war-torn nation. Since coming to the U.S. many individuals have made permanent lives and do not wish to return to El Salvador. Many recipients feel as if they should be transitioned toward permanent residence or citizenship. They feel that the U.S. is their home, where they raised children and opened businesses. The Trump Administration asserts that TPS should be phased out as soon as precipitating circumstances are resolved. Any changes in the program are up to Congress. Now, many recipients of TPS, Democrats, and labor unions, are urging the Trump Administration and Congress to establish a path to permanent residency for these TPS recipients.

Executive Director of CARECEN-LA, an organization advocating for rights of Central American immigrants, Martha Arevalo, argued that "after decades of following the rules, it is unfair to suddenly change the game and threaten their livelihoods."

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