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Temporary Protected Status

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is an important form of humanitarian relief for people from certain designated countries that have experienced armed conflict, natural disaster, or others conditions that prevent nationals from returning safely. Currently, there are approximately 400,000 people from 12 countries with TPS status, which provides the right to live and work lawfully in the United States but no permanent status. 

ILRC develops TPS resources and materials to keep legal advocates and community members updated about TPS designations and application processes as well opportunities for TPS recipients to pursue more permanent forms of status. This area of immigration law changes frequently, so please visit this page for regular updates as well as the USCIS TPS page: https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status.

Latest Resources

Public Comments / Sign-on Letters
Resources
Publication Date
07/24/2024
On June 6, 2024, the ILRC submitted a comment in support of DHS’s temporary final rule (TFR) providing automatic extensions of employment authorization documents. The TFR specifically requested comment on whether the measure should be permanent and how long permanent automatic extensions should be. The ILRC wrote in support of a long and permanent auto-extension policy to ensure that applicants are not harmed by administrative delays that lead to lapses in document validity.
FAQs & Explainers
Resources
Publication Date
05/15/2024
This Community Alert is a reminder for recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan that re-registration deadlines are coming soon. Review to learn about the deadlines for each country.
Practice Advisory
Resources
Publication Date
02/21/2024
On February 14, 2024, President Biden announced an 18-month Program of deferred enforced departure (DED) for Palestinians in the United States. This alert describes the content of the executive order. Eligible persons may apply for employment and travel authorization under the program when a notice is published in the Federal Register.
Practice Advisory
Resources
Publication Date
12/12/2023
This advisory analyzes and explains the particularly serious crime bar to asylum and withholding of removal. It describes the factors to consider in determining whether a crime is a "particularly serious crime" and how to challenge a particularly serious crime determination.
FAQs & Explainers
Resources
Publication Date
08/14/2023
This guide walks through the latest updates regarding TPS for immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. Included are frequently asked questions about the program, renewal timelines, and more.
FAQs & Explainers
Resources
Publication Date
07/11/2023
This FAQ provides an update on immigration application filing fee changes that were recently proposed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Practice Advisory
Resources
Publication Date
07/06/2023
This practice advisory provides an overview of the grounds of inadmissibility for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) explaining which grounds do not apply to TPS applicants, which grounds are non-waivable, and which grounds are waivable. It also offers an overview of the TPS waiver of inadmissibility.
FAQs & Explainers
Resources
Publication Date
03/31/2023
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) provides protection and work authorization to nationals of certain countries designated by the United States due to armed conflict, natural disasters, and other emergencies. This community explainer walks through the latest matters related to country designations, key dates, and eligibility with a focus on TPS holders from six countries that were targeted for termination by the Trump administration and whose protections have been extended while a case in federal court is pending.
Practice Advisory
Resources
Publication Date
04/07/2023
This practice advisory provides an overview of the different ways crimes can impact eligibility for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and a framework for analyzing whether an applicant is subject to these bars and potential options to overcome them.
Practice Advisory
Resources
Publication Date
03/14/2023
This practice alert provides an overview of USCIS’s new policy on TPS travel, including a new travel document specific to TPS holders that replaces advance parole, rescission of Matter of Z-R-Z-C-, and clarification of the legal effect of TPS-authorized travel, especially for adjustment of status.