Temporary Protected Status for Salvadorans ending. What it means

Temporary Protected Status for thousands of Salvadorans living in the United States is set to expire Wednesday.

On Tuesday, religious leaders urged the Trump administration to extend temporary protected status for 170,000 Salvadorans living in the county.

TPS is a government protection granted by the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to eligible foreign-born individuals who are unable to return home safely due to circumstances in their country. TPS allows individuals to live and work in the U.S. without fear of deportation.

Although accurately calculating the regional Salvadoran population is difficult, the Consulate General of El Salvador in Fresno estimates 35,000 Salvadorans live the San Joaquin Valley, with the largest concentrations in Mendota, Fresno, Salinas, Sanger, and Bakersfield.

Since 2001, El Salvador has had TPS, making it the longest-running active designation. Many Salvadorans with TPS have lived in the United States for decades after registering, passing background checks and receiving legal work authorization.

In a letter to President Donald Trump, Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, faith leaders from the Confraternity of Pentecostal Entities of the Americas urged the administration to extend TPS for El Salvador and preserve work authorization for Salvadorans who have lived and built their lives in the United States for decades.

“For most Salvadoran TPS holders, terminating TPS will result in the immediate loss of lawful status and separation from their U.S. citizen children and other family members, as well as detention and deportation,” the letter reads. “Therefore, if you choose to terminate TPS for El Salvador, we prayerfully urge you to provide a smooth transition for TPS holders by adopting an orderly and dignified two-year ‘wind down’ period.”

Last month, the Trump administration announced it would not extend TPS for El Salvador, leaving Salvadorans with limited options. More than 150,000 U.S. citizen children have a parent protected by Salvadoran TPS. Salvadoran TPS holders contribute an estimated $5.4 billion to the U.S. economy every year and pay approximately $1.5 billion annually in federal, state, and local taxes.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end the temporary protected status for roughly 350,000 Haitian and Syrian nationals.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service confirmed this month that certain employment authorization documents for Salvadoran TPS holders will remain valid only through Sept. 9. USCIS said it will send notices by mail and electronically to those affected by the termination of benefits.