What is Temporary Protected Status (TPS)?

Have you ever wondered what Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is? TPS is an immigration status granted by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to individuals of certain countries who are in the United States because they are unable to return to their home country, or conditions in the home country make it unable to handle the return of nationals. TPS holders are permitted to work, live and travel in the U.S. with certain restrictions. In this blog post, we will explore why TPS exists, who qualifies for it and how many people currently hold TPS in Georgia and across the U.S.

Why does TPS exist?

TPS was created in 1990 as part of a comprehensive immigration reform package that included amnesty for millions of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., as well as other reforms such as employer sanctions and increased border security measures. Since then, it has been used to protect foreign nationals from countries experiencing armed conflict or natural disasters from being forced to return home where their lives may be at risk due to civil unrest or destruction caused by natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods. It also provides a path for qualified individuals to remain lawfully in the United States while their home countries recover or stabilize enough for them to return safely and/or participate in rebuilding efforts without fear of deportation or detention.

Who Qualifies For TPS?

In order for an individual from a designated country to be eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), he/she must meet certain criteria established by DHS including:

1) having been physically present within the United States when TPS was first designated for his/her home country;

2) continuously living in the U.S since that time;

3) not having committed any crimes that would make him/her ineligible;

4) not posing a threat to national security;

5) meeting all other eligibility requirements set forth by DHS;

6) registering with DHS upon initial application or re-registration periods;

7) maintaining lawful immigration status while on TPS;

8) paying all applicable fees and fines associated with applying for, renewing, or extending his/her stay under TPS;

9) providing evidence of identity documents such as passports and birth certificates;

10) providing proof that he/she entered legally into the U.S.; 11) presenting current employment authorization documents if applicable, etc.

How Many People Have TPS?

According to recent estimates from USCIS there are nearly 12,000 Temporary Protected Status holders living in Georgia alone with more than half coming from El Salvador alone followed by Honduras, Haiti, and Nicaragua respectively making up most of these designees. This places Georgia among states with some of the highest populations of current TPS holders throughout America following California which holds roughly 18 percent of all current designees followed closely behind by Florida which holds nearly 14 percent according to estimates provided by USCIS.

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is an important tool used by DHS every day to protect individuals from potentially dangerous situations arising out of armed conflicts or environmental disasters occurring abroad while allowing them the opportunity to pursue stability here within our borders while they wait out these uncertain times until they can safely return home again one day soon hopefully. With almost 12000 current designees living right here at home within Georgia alone, it’s clear just how much this program has helped provide hope & stability during some difficult times abroad over the last few decades & will continue doing so going forward into the future God willing!