This morning, in notices set to be published in the Federal Register, the Trump Administration announced that it would terminate the current Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for both Honduras and Nicaragua. This action leaves tens of thousands of people vulnerable to removal from the U.S. The validity period of Employment Authorization Documents through TPS will be automatically extended for the next 60 days.
More specifically, the end to TPS for these countries will mean the end of protections from deportation and work authorization for more than 70,000 people. Some TPS holders have lived in the U.S. for well over 25 years. They include thousands of parents of U.S. citizens. All are individuals with no criminal history or minor criminal violations. They are non-citizens, many who have spent more than a quarter of a century lawfully in the U.S.
This is not the first attempt by the Trump Administration to strip people of TPS protection. During the first Trump term, a federal judge enjoined an effort to end TPS for certain countries, including El Salvador. That judge, in 2018, enjoined and stopped the president’s efforts to end TPS, explaining situations where “there is proof that a discriminatory purpose has been a motivating factor in the [government’s] decision, . .” The judge wrote that evidence was presented that “President Trump has expressed animus against non-white, non-European immigrants.”
We urge people to speak out against this latest effort to strip immigrants of their legal rights, immigrants who have shown a willingness to work hard and provide a good life for their U.S. citizen children. We hope that this issue is litigated again in federal court and that the efforts to end TPS fail.
If you are a TPS recipient, it is important to speak to an immigration attorney as soon as possible to consult about what other potential options may exist in your case.