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Press Release: Trump Administration Revokes Temporary Protected Status for Salvadorans
Posted on Jan 08 2018
January 8, 2018 – Today, the Trump administration announced an end to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nearly 200,000 Salvadoran immigrants. TPS holders from El Salvador will be forced out of the United States by September 9, 2019, forced back to a country beset by violence.
The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) has opened our Helpline for Minnesotans affected by this action, with hours from 3-5 p.m. from Tuesday, January 9 through Friday, January 12. The number for the Helpline during those times is 651-287-3715.
“This is more than a human tragedy for the Salvadoran TPS holders, their families, and communities,” ILCM Executive Director John Keller said. “The termination of TPS for Salvadorans, which follows similar terminations of TPS for people from Nicaragua, Sudan, and Honduras, exemplifies the racist and xenophobic anti-immigration policies of this administration. This decision completely disregards the violence within El Salvador and the very real dangers to returnees. It also ignores the length of time that Salvadorans have resided in the United States and the degree to which they are integrated and valuable members of U.S. communities.”
ILCM has worked with hundreds of people with TPS for the last 17 years. We will do everything we can to help those eligible to transition to a different status. That is not possible for most people with TPS, who will need Congressional action to let them stay here.
Of the Salvadorans residing in the United States with TPS:
- About 88 percent are in the work force, paying taxes and contributing to the nation’s economic growth. Many work in the construction industries in Texas, Florida, and California, helping to rebuild after hurricanes and wildfires.
- About one-third own their own homes.
- Half have lived in the United States for at least 20 years.
- About two-thirds have U.S. citizen children.
Only Congressional action can reverse this travesty and allow TPS holders from El Salvador to remain here with their U.S. citizen children, in the homes they own, in the jobs that contribute to the U.S. economy, in the communities where they are essential and valuable members. We urge every Minnesotan to contact members of our Congressional delegation to urge them to support legislation establishing permanent resident status for Salvadoran TPS holders.