Will Trump End TPS for Salvadorans?
Why El Salvador Has Had TPS for More Than 25 Years
More than a quarter century ago, a series of major earthquakes hit El Salvador, killing more than 1,000 people and displacing more than 1 million. Ever since, the United States government has protected Salvadoran immigrants who were already living in the U.S. from having to return to their devastated homeland.
An official in the George W. Bush Administration declared the designation the “prudent and humane thing to do.” Because of the ongoing impacts of these disasters, this protection has been renewed regularly for the last 25 years by both Republican and Democratic presidents.
Although Trump tried to end TPS designation for El Salvador during his first term, legal challenges prevented it from taking effect, and President Biden rescinded it.
Who Could Be Affected if El Salvador TPS Ends?
Today, more than 170,000 Salvadorans TPS holders live in the United States. In order to qualify for the program, a person has to have lived continuously in the U.S. since February 13, 2001. These individuals have spent decades in this country—they’ve bought homes, raised children, and built careers.
The current Trump Administration has made clear it has little interest in continuing the TPS program, regardless of how long its beneficiaries have lived here or the dangers awaiting them in their country of origin.
During the President’s second term, his Administration has failed to renew all but one country whose TPS status has come up for renewal. In June, the Supreme Court unfortunately gave a green light to this practice. We are placing close attention to what the Administration will do when El Salvador’s TPS designation expires on September 9. comes up for renewal next week.
What Happens if DHS Does Not Renew El Salvador TPS?
Under the law, if DHS does not announce if it will end or renew a TPS designation 60 days prior to its expiration, the designation is automatically renewed for six months.
If this Administration had any regard for the rule of law, Salvadorans could rest assured the designation would be in effect until at least March 2027. But with this Administration, anything is possible. If there is an announcement this week that TPS for El Salvador is ending either immediately or in 60 days, Salvadorans whose work permits expire on September 9, 2026, will not have anything to prove to their employers that they remain legally allowed to work in the U.S.
How Ending TPS for Salvadorans Could Affect the Washington, D.C. Region
A termination of TPS for El Salvador would hit the DMV hard. The DC area is home to a large number of Salvadoran immigrants and more than 32,000 of them are TPS holders. They are a disproportionate share of workers in the construction, landscaping and restaurant industries.
Construction in DC is already at a 15-year low, and a record number of DC restaurants closed last year. Meanwhile, the regional economy has been damaged by Trump’s “government efficiency” agenda.
Stripping tens of thousands of people of their work authorizations would weaken our local economy even further. Residents of the DMV, particularly immigrants, have already taken too many hits from this Administration.
What Salvadoran TPS Holders Should Do if Protection Ends
If you fear losing TPS protection and need counsel, please contact us. While, if TPS for your home country is terminated, your status will revert to what it was prior to protection, sometimes there are other avenues available. We are here to hear your story and provide any support we can in your immigration journey.