The United States is currently home to some 411,000 immigrants that hail from 10 countries from around the globe that have been ravaged by war or natural disasters. Many of these legal immigrants, including those in, Kentucky now face deportation thanks to a questionable order that has been signed by President Trump. With their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in jeopardy as of January 4, 2021, what should these legally documented immigrants do?
Are there exceptions?
Only eight of the countries that were granted Temporary Protected Status are set to lose that status on January 4. Due to a change in circumstances, the current administration did grant an extension for two of the nations that were listed on the first TPS list. Syrian immigrants will now not lose their status until May 2021 while those from El Salvador will not face deportation until November 2021.
Real people with real stories
While it is easy to fall into the trap of seeing these legal immigrants as nothing more than numbers, these are real people who have made real lives in the United States. One such example is a Honduran immigrant living in Tampa whose two children were both born in the United States. This gentleman had saved up enough money to open his own landscaping business eight years ago but now faces deportation in less than three short months because Honduras is no longer considered a protected nation in the TPS database.
The history of the law
Temporary Protected Status came into existence when Congress passed the law in 1990. Since that time, hundreds of thousands of men and women have been able to flee unsafe nations and create their own version of the American Dream.
Any immigrants who have been living in the United States on TPS status now find themselves in jeopardy. It is crucial that they quickly contact an attorney who can help battle their potential deportation in court.