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How does the uncertainty of TPS for El Salvador affect your community?
Supporters of the National TPS Alliance rally at the U.S. Capitol following a federal court ruling that lifted an injunction on the Trump Administration's ability to erase the temporary protected status of 400,000 people from six countries, including El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan.
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Chip Somodevilla
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Getty Images
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Immigrants from El Salvador with Temporary Protected Status remain uncertain about their ability to legally live and work in the U.S. after federal officials said late Tuesday that the Department of Homeland Security planned to make an announcement about the program.
“Until such [an] announcement is made, Salvadoran individuals present in the U.S. under TPS retain protection,” DHS said in a statement.
On Wednesday, the federal program that allows people to live and work in the U.S. due to armed conflict, environmental disaster and other “extraordinary” conditions in their native countries was slated to expire for El Salvador.
An estimated 170,000 immigrants face the loss of their work authorizations and potential deportation, which has ignited fear of family separation and other anxieties.
Why this matters
L.A. County is home to the largest Salvadoran diaspora, though it’s unclear how many are beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status.
El Salvador was granted TPS in 2001, meaning some immigrants have been living in the U.S. for more than two decades. Here, they’ve built families, launched businesses and become integral parts of their communities.
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What TPS holders can do now
Nonprofits like the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project recommend that TPS holders seek an attorney to determine if they're eligible for a different immigration status. Advocates also recommend that people who are on the verge of losing TPS create an emergency plan in case a family member is detained or deported.
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Firefighters appeared to making quick progress against the fire that was initially reported at 5 acres. -
The injured coyote was also suffering from an infection that left severe damage to her jaw. -
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass announced a planned exit a week after LAist reported she skipped a majority of meetings for the region’s lead homeless services agency.
How does this TPS decision impact your community?
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 12, immigration reporter Julia Barajas and community engagement producer Annie Nguyen will be speaking with community members at Café Calle, 3310 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles.
If you would like to share your experience, or if you have ideas about immigration issues they should be covering, join them for a conversation and a free drink.
How other former TPS beneficiaries have fared
In July, the Department of Homeland Security terminated TPS for Haiti. Since then, many Haitians have lost their jobs and increasing numbers are being deported.
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The anxiety of losing TPS can also influence former recipients’ mental health: in Springfield, Ohio, an incoming college freshman died by suicide after DHS fitted him with an electronic ankle monitor (one of the ways the agency tracks people it may deport). The man’s name was Pierre Damas Bel, and in a social media post, he described “carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation [he] never imagined” shortly before he died.
Assistance For Mental Health Crises Or Support
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs immediate help, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or visit the 988 website for online chat.
For more help:
- Find 5 Action Steps for helping someone who may be suicidal, from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
- Six questions to ask to help assess the severity of someone's suicide risk, from the Columbia Lighthouse Project.
- To prevent a future crisis, here's how to help someone make a safety plan.
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health’s 24/7 Help Line (Spanish available): 800-854-7771.
- East Los Angeles Women’s Center 24/7 crisis hotline (Spanish available): 800-585-6231.
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for 24/7 crisis counseling.
What the Trump administration says
“TPS is just that — it’s temporary. It was never designed to be permanent,” said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin with regard to the Supreme Court majority’s decision to allow for the expiration of TPS for Haiti. The dissenting justices determined there was ample evidence that the federal government’s move was fueled by racial animus.
The Trump administration has moved to terminate most of the 17 TPS designations that were in place when its second term began. Signed into law by former President George H.W. Bush in 1990, TPS offered temporary safeguard from deportation and eligibility for a work permit — but not a pathway to permanent residence.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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