tags: , , AVEF, Press Releases

Five Things To Know About The TPS Holders from "Shithole" Countries

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The 300,000 Honduran, Nicaraguan, Haitian and Salvadoran TPS holders are hardworking individuals here in the United States legally who pay taxes and contribute to our communities and economy — many of whom are construction supervisors and home health care professionals who aren’t easily replaced. Currently, many in the construction industry are helping the recovery efforts in Florida and Houston following the hurricanes. They are parents to nearly 275,000 U.S. citizen children and there is no plan to address the break up of these families.

Mass deportation of TPS holders is bad for the economy, which is one reason the U.S. Chamber of Commerce opposes forcibly removing these working families. The near simultaneous layoffs of 250,000 TPS holders currently employed — working an average 40-45 hours per week — will cost employers nearly $1 billion in immediate turnover costs. It will cost the U.S. an estimated $164 billion in Gross Domestic Product. And, given that 30% of TPS holders are homeowners, it will destabilize U.S. housing markets when 60,000 mortgages are dumped at the same time.

TPS holders are thoroughly vetted. All TPS holders living in the United States have passed a background check at least every 18 months.

Mass deportation of TPS holders is bad for regional stability and U.S. national security.The termination of TPS will further destabilize fragile countries in our neighborhood. With remittances making upmore than 15% of the GDP of TPS-designated countries, the sudden loss will put an added strain on the U.S. foreign aid budget while families who have long-relied on this money will have no other option than to attempt to come to the U.S. as undocumented workers.

TPS designated home countries are not yet ready to receive the 300,000 TPS holders.In Haiti, forcing the return of 50,000 people woulddisrupt the fragile recovery, exacerbate the food, housing, and public health crises, and potentially destabilize the new government. In El Salvador and Honduras, the return of over 250,000 people would strain government services and lead to job displacement in countries besieged by violence, narcotics trafficking and weak institutions.