Help Workers with Temporary Immigrant Status Remain on the Job

Posted on September 11, 2018 by Jodi Boyne

The temporary protected status provided to immigrants from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Haiti and other countries is being terminated. Many of these foreign-born people, who work in the long-term services and supports field, will face deportation.

Action Alert: Tell your U.S. Representative and our U.S. Senators to prevent this termination from taking place and enable immigrants with temporary status to apply for permanent residency in the United States. 

Immigrants with temporary protected status have come to the U.S. in the aftermath of natural disasters or wars in their countries of origin. Because they did not meet the criteria to qualify as refugees or to enter the U.S. under ordinary immigration law, they were given temporary protection against deportation. The temporary status expires and must be renewed at 18-month intervals. Immigrants with this status can work in the U.S. but they do not gain a path to citizenship nor can they petition for family members to join them here. 

The Department of Homeland Security has determined that conditions in several of the countries from which these workers came have improved sufficiently for them to return. El Savadorans with temporary status have until Sept. 9, 2019 to return to El Salvador. Deadlines vary for groups from other countries who have temporary protected status. 

Given the present workforce challenges in our field, it will be difficult to replace these workers. We are supporting legislation introduced to enable people with temporary status to remain in the U.S. The House bill, the Fair TPS Act, H.R. 4933, would prevent the Department of Homeland Security from terminating temporary status for natives of Nicaragua, Haiti, and El Salvador. In the Senate, the SECURE Act, S. 2144, would enable immigrants with temporary status to apply for permanent residency in the U.S. 

Please contact your legislators to urge your support for this important legislation. Be sure to include any information that may pertain to your organization as to any individuals you may employ who have temporary protected status.