On October 3, 2018, activists heaved a sigh of relief when U.S. District Judge Edward Chen blocked the Trump administration from ending protections that allowed temporary protected status holders from El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Sudan to work legally in the United States. The Judge states how ending the protection would cause “irreproachable and great hardships” whilst taking into account how the government failed to show and establish that Temporary Protected Status could hurt local and national economy.
Judge Chen says there is evidence that “President Trump harbors an animus against nonwhite, non-European aliens which influenced his . . . decision to end the TPS designation.” In his ruling, he cites Trump’s characterization of Mexican immigrants as drug dealers and rapist; Trump’s alleged reference of African countries in a vulgar and dehumanizing way; as well as, Trump’s call to ban Muslims from coming into the U.S.
This decision has great significance in the lives of approximately 300 000 TPS holders at risk of deportation, many of whom have resided and built lives in the country for over a decade. Though this is a small victory, the status of TPS holders remains in jeopardy. They face even greater uncertainties and even more threats of removal.
We have all experienced a moment of fear at one point in our lives, so imagine what those 300 000 TPS holders must be going through every second of their day because some people decided that immigrants from certain countries are not welcome on the ‘Land Of Immigrants’ that is the United States of America.
Activists are continuing to organize to save TPS. You can add your voice by calling upon your local and state representatives to ask them to Save TPS and create pathways to permanent residency.
You can also support our immigrant neighbors by making a donation to HIBAP to help Haitian immigrants in detention.
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