Van Hollen Statement on 9th Circuit TPS Decision

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the decision by the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit allowing the Trump Administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for recipients from El Salvador, Sudan, Nicaragua, and Haiti. Established in 1990, TPS is a renewable program that allows foreign nationals to legally live and work in the United States if they are unable to safely return to their home country due to natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions. Right now, 131,100 TPS recipients are serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 response, including more than 6,600 in Maryland. 

“TPS recipients are our neighbors. They live and work in our communities, and right now thousands of them are serving on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, fighting to keep us safe and healthy. To turn our backs on these legal residents is shameful. I will continue fighting in Congress to push back on this Administration’s despicable efforts to end the TPS program, tear apart our communities, and deport our neighbors and friends.” 

Today, Senator Van Hollen led a letter urging Senate leadership to provide employment protections for TPS holders in the next COVID-19 relief package. Additionally, last year, recognizing the important contributions that TPS recipients and their families make in their communities, the Senator introduced the Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act to provide TPS recipients with the opportunity to apply for permanent residency and be on the pathway to citizenship. The Senator also supports Senate action on the House-passed American Dream and Promise Act which similarly provides a pathway to citizenship for TPS holders.