Catholic Leaders Denounce ‘Ill-Conceived’ Decision to End TPS for El Salvador
SILVER SPRING, Maryland – Leaders from the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) are condemning the Trump administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador in September 2019, calling it a political calculation that will devastate 200,000 families who have made the United States their home.
Statements from Leadership
Bishop Kevin Vann, Chairman of the Board, CLINIC “This is yet another ill-conceived decision by an administration that ignores the immense contributions to our country by immigrants and that has lost sight of the United States’ long history as a safe haven. Instead of withdrawing their protections, our government should welcome these long-term, settled members of our communities and find ways to give them a permanent path to residency.”
Bishop Vann added that the decision recalls a history of anti-foreigner sentiment and cited Pope Francis’s recent lament for migrant families. “The pope went on to call for abandoning ‘the familiar rhetoric and start from the essential consideration that we are dealing, above all, with persons.’”
Jeanne Atkinson, Executive Director, CLINIC “This was a political calculation that is inconsistent with the law and practices of all previous administrations. By looking only at the effects of El Salvador’s initial disaster, the administration is ignoring the significant subsequent environmental and civil crises, including horrific gang violence, that continue to disrupt the country, making it a travesty to send people home.”
Atkinson noted that El Salvador’s own government pleaded with the administration not to cancel TPS, stating it cannot absorb the return of its nationals. “It leaves them with no recourse to maintain their lives and throws to Congress the responsibility for ‘fixing’ a problem the administration is creating.”
A ‘Chain Reaction’ of Negative Consequences
Jill Marie Bussey, CLINIC’s Director of Advocacy, warned that terminating TPS for El Salvador will set off a dangerous chain reaction:
- Increased Violence: TPS holders deported to El Salvador will become prime targets for gang extortion and violence due to their U.S. connections. Many will be forced to flee back to the United States for safety.
- Economic Destabilization: When Salvadorans in the U.S. lose their work permits, the financial remittances they send to El Salvador—which account for 17% of the country’s GDP—will dry up.
- New Migration Pressures: The loss of remittance funds will put immense pressure on people within El Salvador, forcing many more to flee the country.
By the Numbers: The Impact of Salvadoran TPS Holders
The decision will have a profound impact on families and the U.S. economy.
- People Affected: Over 200,000 individuals who have lived in the U.S. for decades.
- U.S. Citizen Children: Their children include 193,000 U.S. citizens.
- Economic Contribution: They generate $109.4 billion in income annually.
- Home Ownership: They represent 45,500 households with mortgages.
- Top States:
- California: 49,100
- Texas: 36,300
- Virginia: 21,500
- Maryland: 19,800
Part of a Broader Trend
This announcement follows previous decisions by the administration to end TPS for Haiti, Sudan, and Nicaragua, and to grant only temporary extensions for Honduras and South Sudan.