Legal Stalemate Threatens Thousands of Texas Immigrants

Potential collapse of Temporary Protective Status program would be catastrophic for Texans

In 2018, the Trump Administration moved to revoke the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for people from Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Nepal. The vast majority of these beneficiaries had lived in the U.S. for years, if not decades, have U.S. citizen children, and have built their lives in this country.

After filing a lawsuit to halt the revocation, attorneys representing beneficiaries of the TPS designations have been negotiating with the Biden Administration for years to reach an agreement over the future of those approximately 337,000 immigrants. Unfortunately, these negotiations have reportedly stalled out, threatening the futures of countless families.

“For the tens of thousands of people in Texas from these countries, and for their extended families and our communities, the loss of Temporary Protected Status would be catastrophic,” said American Gateways co-Executive Director Edna Yang. “We call on the Biden Administration to redouble efforts and fulfill its promise to maintain their protected status, which was designated because of the extreme conditions in their native countries, which have not improved. We further impress upon the Administration to push for comprehensive immigration reform, including a path to permanent residency for TPS beneficiaries.”

Each year, American Gateways helps hundreds of Central Texans apply for or renew their TPS designation, offering continuity to their families and economic benefits to our region. We will monitor the legal developments and keep our clients informed.