(Image source from: taxpayer.net)

Washington DC:
The Department of Homeland Security announced that the Trump administration will end the protection of over 250000 El Salvadorean nationals who are residing in the US as immigrants for over 10-15 years. Those Salvadoreans who still do not have legal immigrant status were allowed to stay in the country back then.

But now with a termination comprising 18 month delay this temporary protected status for El Salvadore has been revoked. After which the Salvadoreans either have to come in status to be in the country or leave US effective immediately at the end of 18 month. This means around 250000 TPS protectees just have until September 9th, 2019 to find a legal way to stay back or prepare to leave the country.

This is yet another step to curtail the temporary protected status use in the US, by Trump administration. Temporary protected status is protection against deportation and authorization to stay and work legally for the immigrants from a country which has suffered disaster due to a war, epidemic or a natural disaster.

DHS stated that around 250000 Salvadorean families were given TPS from 2001 after earthquakes devastated their country. They have been staying in the US ever since, paying taxes and living their dream. By now there are some 192000 children who have US citizenship and are born to these Salvadoreans. Now all of them face the risk of deportation as the lives are being uprooted with this administrative change.

Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington DC said, “They are our friends, colleagues, and neighbors. They are teachers, business owners, nurses. Thousands of families will worry about being torn apart because of this callous and irrational decision, but we will continue looking for solutions that keep our families together and our residents safe" . Around 41000 Salvadoreans stay in DC area.

Salvadoreans are the largest group of TPS protected nationals, and according to DHS this was a temporary program meant for a few years but went on to stay until now. It was created by congress sin 1990 to support foreign nationals to stay in the US for a short period of time. Due to immigrant advocates and EL Salvadorean government’s pleads this TPS program continued until now.

According to Republican Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, “The issue will now be kicked to Congress. Senate negotiators are discussing potentially including a deal to end the diversity lottery, which is a top target of President Donald Trump, in exchange for some resolution on TPS. We can deal with diversity visa, if we pair it with TPS, doing some kind of reallocation visas there”

By Minu Mnaisha