Nearly 200,000 TPS Holders from El Salvador Living in Texas and Across the U.S. are in Jeopardy of Losing Protections
- 36,000 Salvadoran TPS holders in Texas
- 42,500 U.S. born children in Texas have Salvadoran parents who are TPS holders
- 24 Days Until DHS Decision Deadline for Salvadorans on 01/08/2018
A recording of today’s call is available here.
TEXAS — On a press call today, immigrant advocates, TPS holders, and community members demanded a permanent legislative solution for the 36,000 Salvadorans living in Texas who are protected under the TPS immigration program, and called on Senator John Cornyn as well as from the White House and Congress to step up and lead.
Elsa Caballero, President, SEIU Texas, said:
As President of SEIU Texas, I’ve had the privilege to meet, talk to, and represent hundreds and hundreds of workers who are TPS recipients. Not having TPS would have significant impacts on the workforce; mass deportation of TPS recipients is just bad for the economy, which is one of reasons the U.S. Chamber of Commerce opposes it. If TPS were to be fully revoked, it will cost the United States an estimated $164 billion in GDP. 30 percent of TPS recipients are home owners; this will destabilize the housing market when 60,000 housing mortgages are lost at same time. In my work, I see that TPS workers and recipients are hard-working and integral part of our communities. I am urging Senator Cornyn, then, to continue with the TPS program but — more than anything — I am urging him to help us move away from Temporary Protected Status and onto a path to permanent residency and citizenship; we ask for his support in leading that fight.
Carlos Duarte, Texas State Director, Mi Familia Vota, said:
As a result of the Trump administration rulings on TPS, the need for a permanent solution for these people has intensified. Over 300,000 TPS recipients live in the United States. The lives of these people are in jeopardy. For example, over 50,000 Haitian learned over Thanksgiving learned they will lose their immigration status. There are 192,000 children who rely on a parent with TPS. With the deadline for El Salvador fast approaching on January 8th, tens of thousands of workers could be displaced throughout the United States. These immigrants contribute greatly to our communities. Senator Cornyn and the rest of the Texas delegation must stand up for these legal immigrants who could lose their protection that allow them to continue to be upstanding citizens.
Cristian Chavez, Salvadoran TPS holder, Houston, TX, said:
Well, I’ve been living in the US for over 18 years. But I have been a TPS holder for almost 16 years. The reason I came to this country is due to the lack of opportunities in El Salvador. After the civil war, the crime rate increased exponentially. Opportunities decreased every day. Since I came to the U.S., I’ve received a technical education in the IT field and continue to work in the field today. I’ve also been working on starting a non-profit organization to create opportunities in El Salvador because people there are poor and suffering. We need to find a way to help people stay in El Salvador and find opportunities so we can stop illegal immigration. If TPS is cancelled, I will be forced to go back to El Salvador and it will be a death sentence. Organized crime controls everything back home.
We need to tell Senator Cornyn to help those of us with TPS and create a path to citizenship. Salvadorans help the economy. We pay taxes. We work. We are good citizens. What else can I say but to ask for help? Senator Cornyn: don’t let President Trump end TPS.
Edwin Murillo, National TPS Alliance, Salvadoran TPS holder and small business owner, Dallas, TX, said:
I am a TPS holder who has lived in the U.S. for 16 years. I acquired TPS after 2001 after El Salvador suffered through several natural disasters. In the U.S., my wife and I have navigated through college and are now small business owners. We have built a home in this country. In Dallas alone, there are 7,000 TPS holders. We work in various industries including construction and food service. In renewing TPS every 18 months, the community has paid close to 1.3 billion dollars. I have a specific call to Cornyn to call on DHS to renew TPS, and also for him to push for a legislative solution that would grant TPS holders a path to citizenship. The U.S. has a big debt to the Salvadoran community who have been upstanding citizens and have contributed to this country’s economy, our community is strong and resilient and we will continue to defend our right to remain in the U.S., our home.
