WASHINGTON — The future of millions of immigrants is at risk as President-elect Donald Trump vows to roll back Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a crucial program that allows people from countries like Venezuela, Haiti, and El Salvador to remain in the U.S. due to unsafe conditions in their homelands.
TPS, established in 1990, was designed to protect individuals from nations suffering from conflict, natural disasters, or economic instability. Currently, more than 1 million immigrants benefit from the program, including those from 17 countries, with designations for El Salvador, Sudan, Ukraine, and Venezuela set to expire in the coming months.
The program’s protections have allowed immigrants like Maribel Hidalgo, a Venezuelan mother who fled gang violence and political unrest, to seek refuge in the U.S. After traversing treacherous routes from Venezuela through Panama and Mexico, Hidalgo found hope when the Biden administration granted Venezuelans TPS. But with Trump pledging to end mass grants of TPS, her future — and that of millions like her — is uncertain. “My only hope was TPS,” Hidalgo said, voicing fear of being deported after enduring so much hardship.
The prospect of mass deportations looms large. Critics warn that ending TPS could devastate not only the lives of recipients but also the U.S. economy. Attorney Ahilan T. Arulanantham warns that stripping employment authorization from TPS holders could lead to significant economic harm. In countries like Haiti and El Salvador, already overwhelmed by violence and instability, the return of tens of thousands of displaced individuals would only exacerbate existing crises.
Vania Andre, editor of The Haitian Times, argues that Haiti, already grappling with rampant gang violence and social upheaval, is not equipped to absorb the return of its citizens. Advocates for immigrant rights, including Maria Bilbao of the American Friends Service Committee, have called on the Biden administration to not only renew TPS but to expand it, particularly for Nicaraguans fleeing oppression.
As Trump prepares to take office, the fate of these immigrants remains in the balance, leaving them in a precarious situation as they await the White House’s next move. The clock is ticking as TPS designations for some countries are set to expire soon, leaving the Biden administration under increasing pressure to act — or risk the return of deportation threats under Trump’s harsher policies.
