The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) ad on Thursday the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for citizens of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Haiti, Sudan and Nepal until June 2024.
The extension will be valid as of December 31, 2022 and implies that citizens of those countries that have been protected by TPS cannot be deported while the extension lasts. In addition to automatically obtaining a work permit.
“During the TPS designation period, beneficiaries are eligible to remain in the United States. They cannot be deported and are authorized to work as long as they continue to have TPS (…) They can also request and receive a travel authorization at their discretion”, reads a document not yet made official by the US government, which, however, has already been disclosed for him federal register.
According to figures from the Pew Research Center, 193,940 Salvadorans in the United States are covered by the status. Likewise, 58,625 Hondurans; 3,120 Nicaraguans; 3,240 Haitians; 9,355 Nepalis and 2,555 Sudanese.
TPS was approved by the US Congress in 1990 in the Immigration Act. Since then countries like El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua have received benefit extensions; until in 2017, by decision of former US President Donald Trump, TPS ended for some countries.
However, a lawsuit filed by the Salvadoran Crista Ramos stopped the cancellation of the program temporarily. The case is still in litigation.
Governments position
The ambassador of El Salvador to the United States, Milena Mayorga, said that the announced extension represents “temporary relief” for Salvadorans.
“The extension gives us a margin of maneuver of 18 months to be able to continue with our efforts both in Congress and in the administration. (…) We are aware that it is a temporary relief, ”he said in an interview this day with the network Salvadoran Telecorporation.
The diplomat, who retweeted a message from the Presidential Palace announcing the US government’s decision, said she was aware that a permanent solution regarding TPS could only emanate from the US Congress.
While in Honduras, Foreign Minister Enrique Reina said at a press conference that the extension represents “relief” for thousands of Central American families, but stressed that it is only temporary relief.
“This is important news, as these permits are extended so that Hondurans can work and lead a normal life with their families for 18 more months. (…) This represents relief, peace of mind that for another 18 months their situation will be normalized, ”he said.
According to Reina, the Honduran government continues to insist on immigration reform that grants Tepesianos permanent residency.
Tepesianos feared deportation
Members of the National TPS Alliance, a community campaign organized by some benefit holders, explained to the voice of america that the negotiations of the last 16 months “had collapsed”, with which the revalidation of work permits and the legal stay in the North American country of the Tepesians were at risk. Today they see hope.
“Small, but still a win. This was not possible thanks to any lobbyist, middleman or politician. This is a direct result of TPS migrant families organizing and fighting back,” they posted.
A position shared by Salvadoran Napoleón Campos, a political scientist and international relations expert who added that the extension is a “unique and exclusive triumph of organized communities in the United States.”
The United States designates a country with TPS if it has conditions that prevent its nationals from returning to it safely or if that country cannot cope with their return.
The TPS prevents the deportation of those who have it in the United States but does not equate to a permanent residence.
Despite the fact that various civil organizations advocate that Guatemala be included in the list of countries benefiting from TPS, from the Northern Triangle of Central America, Guatemala is the only country that does not have the benefit.
In 1999, Honduras and Nicaragua acceded to TPS after Hurricane Mitch left hundreds dead in the region. In 2001 El Salvador was included, after an earthquake that caused destruction and death in its path.
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