For Immediate Release
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Media Contact
Erik Villalobos, evillalobos@ndlon.org
Martín Pineda, MPineda@carecen-la.org
BREAKING: DHS Expected to Extend TPS Protections for El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua & Nepal
(Washington, DC) According to an article released from CBS News, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expected to announce an 18 month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 337,00 immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal.
The move from the Biden administration would reverse the Trump administration’s decision to terminate TPS protections for these four countries. The decision could also vacate the ongoing Ramos v. Mayorkas challenging TPS terminations – which is expected to have a hearing in Seattle on June 22, 2023.
José Palma released the following remarks on behalf of the National TPS Alliance:
“President Biden should have restored TPS on his first day in office.
He should have done the right thing and restored Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for our community on his first day in office, but instead we endured two years of uncertainty while we battled in courts, demonstrated in streets, and made our case within a dysfunctional congress. We have made this country our home, and yet we still don’t have equal protection.
Today we have thanks for no one other than the TPS Families who became brave civil rights leaders in the fight against racist dehumanization. We call on President Biden to immediately concede in the landmark Ramos case, to acknowledge that our constitutional rights were violated, and to take steps to facilitate our permanent residency.
We will not tolerate being used as political pawns nor will we be used to send a message of deterrence to others who seek the same shot at citizenship afforded to previous generations of white people.
The President’s decision, while better late than never, raises serious questions about why people from our countries of origin have not received the same TPS status afforded to others. We call on President Biden to make clear why he has not re-designated TPS for all people from the four countries impacted by this decision, and we urge him to use the full legal authority at his disposal to protect everyone who deserves it.
“Particularly as the Biden administration pursues a policy of externalized immigration enforcement, and as political demagogues continue to scapegoat us, more must be done to respect the rights of all Central Americans.
This is a victory for TPS families and demonstrates just how when our community fights back, we win! The fight is still far from over. We remain committed to the struggle for permanent residency and equal rights. This is our north star, and we have no doubt that we will get there.” –José Palma, TPS Holder, Spokesperson & Coordinator for the National TPS Alliance