Media CenterCRS Condemns Decision to Terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Nikki Gamer
Catholic Relief Services
[email protected]
(443) 955- 7125

En español

BALTIMORE, MD, January 8, 2018 -- On January 8, 2018, the Department of Homeland Security announced termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador. TPS is a temporary, renewable, and statutorily-authorized humanitarian migration program that permits individuals to remain and work lawfully in the U.S. during a period in which it is deemed unsafe for nationals of that country to return home. There are nearly 200,000 Salvadoran TPS recipients living in the United States.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) issued the following statement in response:

We strongly condemn today’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador.

Terminating TPS will tear families apart; negatively affect communities both here in the United States and in El Salvador that depend on TPS holders for economic support; and undercut the United States’ goal to reduce poverty, decrease irregular migration and promote citizen security in the region. From our experience working with the Catholic Church and other local partners in El Salvador, the Salvadoran government does not have adequate humanitarian capacity to receive, protect, or integrate back into society safely this many people.

We call on Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to protect long-term TPS recipients, including 200,000 Salvadorans currently living in the United States. CRS will continue to stand with and advocate for Salvadoran TPS recipients as they face uncertain futures.

“Those protected by TPS until today are loving mothers and fathers to U.S.-born children, successful home and business owners and productive members of our communities and churches,” said Bill O’Keefe, CRS vice president for Government Relations and Advocacy. “To terminate TPS is to disregard the potential human impact this decision could have on families and communities.” 

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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For more information, please visit crs.org or crsespanol.org and follow CRS on social media: Facebook, @CatholicRelief, @CRSnews, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.