Congress created temporary protected status (TPS) as part of the Immigration Act of 1990.  TPS allows qualifying persons inside the United States to remain and work lawfully until conditions in their home countries improve following civil war, natural disaster or similar extraordinary situations.  DHS has the discretion to determine when the circumstances in a particular country merit TPS designation.  Nationals of those countries already present in the United States can apply for TPS, along with permission to work lawfully.  TPS is usually granted in 6, 12, or 18 month increments, and can be renewed.  Haiti received the most recent TPS designation for a natural disaster, following the 2010 earthquake that devastated the island nation.
Continue Reading No TPS for Bahamians in the United States

In 2018, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will terminate the temporary protected status (TPS) program for nationals of El Salvador on September 9, 2019.  Employment authorization documents (EADs) held by qualifying individuals that expired on March 9, 2018, were automatically extended through September 5, 2018, providing applicants time to apply for

On October 3, 2018, California U.S. District Judge Edward Chen granted a preliminary injunction in the case of Ramos v. Nielsen, preventing the Department of Homeland Security from terminating Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador (scheduled to end on 9/9/19), Haiti (7/22/19), Nicaragua (1/5/19), and Sudan (11/2/18).  The injunction remains in place until the Court lifts it or the lawsuit ends.
Continue Reading California Court Temporarily Enjoins Administration from Ending Temporary Protected Status; Other TPS Lawsuits Proceed

Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will terminate the temporary protected status (TPS) program for nationals of El Salvador on September 9, 2019.  Employment authorization documents (EADs) held by qualifying individuals that expired on March 9, 2018, were automatically extended through September 5, 2018, providing applicants time to apply

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that because the conditions in Nepal no longer support its designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the designation set to expire on July 24, 2018, will now terminate on June 24, 2019.  TPS allows qualifying persons inside the United States to remain and work lawfully in the United States until conditions in their home countries improve following civil war, natural disaster or similar extraordinary situations.  The final year of designation gives those unable to acquire another legal status time to prepare to depart the United States by the TPS termination date.
Continue Reading DHS Announces Final TPS Re-registration for Nepal

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that because the conditions in Honduras no longer support its designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the designation set to expire on July 15, 2018, will terminate on January 5, 2020.  This conclusion is at odds with the State Department travel advisory, which says that travelers should reconsider

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that because the conditions in El Salvador  no longer support its designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the designation set to expire on March 9, 2018, will terminate on September 9, 2019.  This conclusion is at odds with the State Department travel advisory, which says that travelers should reconsider travel to El Salvador due to violent crime (murder, assault, rape, armed robbery, gang activity, etc.).  The travel advisory can be found here.
Continue Reading Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador to End

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that because the conditions in El Salvador no longer support its designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the designation set to expire on March 9, 2018, will terminate in 18 months.  TPS allows qualifying persons inside the United States to remain and work lawfully in the United