Friend,

We know you may have questions about Temporary Protected Status (TPS): what it is, how it works, and who it helps.

TPS is a temporary humanitarian relief provided under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) that allows individuals of a designated country to live and work in the United States because their country conditions make safe return impossible. Things that would prevent safe return to a country include natural disaster, health epidemics, ongoing armed conflict, and more.

TPS is vital because it keeps people safe, and can be enacted quickly by the President without any action from Congress. It allows people in the US to start rebuilding their lives in safety, no matter the danger in their home country.

There are different ways that TPS can be designated: initial, extension, and redesignation. An initial TPS designation is done by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and lasts for 18 months; an extension is done if the designated country is deemed to still be unsafe after this first 18-month period and can last for 6-, 12-, or 18-months; a redesignation is similar to an extension in that it’s done if a country is still unsafe for return, but instead happens after an already-existing TPS designation expires.

As you know, CASA members are unified to win TPS for Central America, specifically El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Decades of foreign intervention over the 20th century coupled with the increasing severity of weather events due to climate change destabilized these countries, and created many of the push factors we see today. And with Congress not willing to pass comprehensive immigration reform, it is up to the White House to take action and provide justice for CASA members.

We hope that answers any basic questions you might have about how TPS works, what it is, and why it’s important. Thank you for your support in this life-changing fight.

In Solidarity,

Gustavo Torres,

Executive Director, CASA