Written by Debbie Deland / vp@flnow.org
Temporary Protected Status: What It Is and Why Cancellations Matter
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a humanitarian safeguard granted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to foreign nationals who cannot safely return to their home countries due to armed conflict, environmental disasters, or extraordinary conditions. TPS allows recipients to live and work legally in the U.S. for a designated period, without fear of deportation.
As of late 2024, over 1 million individuals from 16 countries—including Venezuela, Haiti, El Salvador, and Ukraine—were protected under TPS. Florida alone is home to nearly 358,000 TPS holders, making it the state with the largest TPS population.
What Cancellations Mean
Recent decisions by DHS have moved to terminate TPS designations for several countries, including Venezuela (2023 and 2021 designations), Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, and Cameroon. These cancellations mean:
- Loss of legal status for hundreds of thousands of individuals
- Ineligibility to work legally in the U.S.
- Increased risk of deportation, even for long-term residents
- Family separation, especially for mixed-status families with U.S.-born children
While some terminations have been temporarily blocked by federal courts, the legal landscape remains volatile. The Supreme Court recently ruled that DHS may proceed with ending TPS for Venezuela, despite ongoing litigation.
Why It Matters
TPS holders are deeply woven into Florida’s communities. They work in healthcare, construction, education, and service industries. Many have lived in the U.S. for decades, pay taxes, and raise families. Ending TPS protections not only threatens their futures—it disrupts our economy and tears at the fabric of our neighborhoods.
FL NOW stands in solidarity with immigrant women and families affected by these decisions. We urge policymakers to pursue permanent protections and humane immigration reform.
