02 FEB 2022
President Biden Can Deliver on His Campaign Promise and Blueprint to Manage Migration by Extending TPS to America’s Immigrant Workers
WASHINGTON, DC - This time last year in response to the former administration’s reprehensible treatment and approach to immigrants and refugees, President Biden outlined through an executive order his administration’s plan to address the root causes of migration within the Western Hemisphere and restore and strengthen the nation’s asylum system. His blueprint echoes his campaign promises to not only reverse and rebuild a dysfunctional and cruel immigration system, but also keep families together and offer lasting protections to America’s immigrant families. Today, the Biden-Harris administration has an opportunity to stabilize the region and fulfill their campaign promise with an incredible human impact to immigrant workers and families already in the U.S. by issuing a new Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Guatemala and redesignating TPS for El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.
“There are serious challenges facing the U.S. currently - from labor shortages to a global pandemic - and ensuring protections for immigrant workers and their families is needed now more than ever,” stated Sergio Gonzales, Executive Director of the Immigration Hub. “President Biden has one of the most powerful tools at his disposal: extend TPS to Central American immigrants who are vital members of our communities - in both big cities and small towns across America. These are workers and families who have proven over and over how critical they are to our economic recovery, who pay taxes and fill essential jobs, and whose children, many of whom are U.S. citizens, are the next generation of entrepreneurs, scientists and doctors.
“Keeping families together has always been at the heart of President Biden and Vice President Harris’s commitment to the American people. It’s a value cherished by all Americans regardless if they vote in a blue or red state. Extending TPS to immigrant families would live up to this core promise and value. These families shouldn’t have to fear separation from their families and homes and be forced to return to these Central American countries still reeling from the effects of natural disasters and political crises.
“Extend TPS, and deliver an effective and impactful solution that celebrates our commitment to families, energizes voters, strengthens our regional response to migration, and fuels our economy.”
Background on TPS for Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua
Currently, there are 193,800 TPS holders from El Salvador, 56,500 from Honduras, and 14,300 from Nicaragua, for a total of 264,600 Central American TPS holders in the country. The number of individuals who would be eligible for TPS if the administration redesignated TPS for El Salvador is 523,000, 409,400 for Honduras, and 35,500 for Nicaragua. 662,500 individuals from Guatemala would be eligible if an initial designation was issued for the country, for a total of 1,630,400 eligible individuals from Central America.
On January 10, 2022, 30 Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Biden Administration calling for TPS for Central American countries. These TPS designations would give the United States government more time to partner with governments and civil society to ensure that the return of a large number of individuals to Central America does not create further instability and volatility in the region. They would also provide immediate and tangible humanitarian benefits to new status holders and help mitigate the factors driving migration by securing life-saving remittances.
TPS would provide critical protections for hundreds of thousands of individuals and families across the country from Central America. In fact, Central American countries meet the TPS standards. There are three statutory bases upon which DHS can make a TPS designation:
In the case of an ongoing armed conflict in the country that would pose a serious threat to the safety of returned foreign nationals;
Where a natural disaster such as a hurricane, an earthquake, or an epidemic causes substantial damage to living conditions that render the foreign country temporarily unable to adequately handle the return of its nationals; and
If the Secretary of Homeland Security concludes that some “other extraordinary and temporary conditions” exist in the country that prevent nationals from safely returning, provided the grant of TPS is not contrary to U.S. national interest.
Based upon the level of economic damage, loss of homes and livelihoods, exacerbated and widespread food insecurity, and destruction of critical infrastructure resulting from Eta and Iota, particularly in the middle of an ongoing pandemic, the Central American countries affected by the devastating hurricanes qualify for TPS designations based upon the grounds outlined in the statute.
TPS to Central Americans also helps stabilize the region by allowing TPS-holders to continue sending remittances directly to their families. Remittances are an important component of Central American countries GDP and overall economy.
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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.