ERIN ANDERSON: Immigrants face uncertain future

In the wake of the Trump administration’s disheartening decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, another group of immigrants faces an uncertain future: nearly 330,000 people with legal status, many of whom are parents to American children, are protected by a program known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS grants immigrants permission to remain in the United States if something catastrophic happened in their country of origin preventing their safe return, such as a war, famine, natural disaster, or epidemic. The deadlines to vote on renewal of TPS are just around the corner for the three countries with the highest numbers of TPS holders: decisions as to whether to continue TPS for Honduras, El Salvador and Haiti are scheduled for Nov. 6, Nov. 23, and Jan. 8, respectively.

Combined with Dreamers, a decision by the Trump administration to rescind TPS for those countries would take away the legal status of more than a million people who call the United States home. Immigrants protected with TPS have worked in the U.S. for years, contributing billions to our economy, social security, and even Medicare. In the state of Georgia alone, some 4,700 workers are Salvadoran TPS holders and 1,400 are Honduran TPS holders, with the majority working in construction, administrative and waste management services, and manufacturing. TPS holders from El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti have lived in Georgia for an average of 19 years, not only building lives for themselves and their families but contributing approximately $295 million to Georgia’s economy annually.

A decision by the Trump administration to end TPS for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti in the coming months, and for the other seven countries with TPS grantees in the future, would not only threaten the safety and lives of TPS holders who have made the United States home, it would negatively impact our economy and set an international standard that the United States does not value hard work and providing haven for those in need. The Trump administration must act with compassion and not make the same mistake it made with DACA rescission. The administration must extend TPS for these essential workers until Congress can pass a legislative solution.

ERIN ANDERSON

Ocilla