New FWD.us statistical analysis shows that longtime holders of Temporary Protected Status (TPS)—a designation granted by the Department of Homeland Security offering work authorization and deportation protections for individuals in the U.S. who cannot safely return to their home countries—are able to contribute significantly to the U.S. economy.1
Temporary Protected Status is critically important immigration relief
for TPS holders and the U.S. economy
TPS holders contribute significantly to the U.S. economy with work authorization, while deportation protections keep hundreds of thousands of American families safe and together.
“TPS holders and those eligible for TPS are contributing some $14 billion to the U.S. economy each year.”
Some 87% of Temporary Protected Status holders from El Salvador and 83% from Honduras—all of whom have lived in the U.S. for 20 years or longer—are in the labor force, according to FWD.us’ analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.2 Similarly, a high share (85%) of Haitian TPS holders who have been in the country since 2011 or earlier are in the labor force. These labor force participation rates of long-term TPS holders are considerably higher than that of the U.S. labor force overall (64%).3
FWD.us estimates that at least 275,000 TPS holders and as many as 175,000 TPS-eligible individuals are currently in the labor force, a significant number of individuals whom the U.S. needs to retain, given extreme worker shortages have contributed to an increase in inflation. In total, TPS holders and those eligible for TPS are contributing some $14 billion to the U.S. economy each year, according to FWD.us estimates.4
Beyond TPS individuals themselves, TPS deportation protections and work opportunities benefit hundreds of thousands of Americans. An estimated 1.7 million people live in households with at least one TPS holder or TPS-eligible individual. The protection from deportation that TPS grants has allowed hundreds of thousands of families to stay together without having to face the day-to-day uncertainty and fear of being separated from their loved ones that many undocumented immigrants endure.
In fact, most TPS holders and TPS-eligible individuals have lived in the United States for more than 20 years, according to FWD.us analysis. They have set down roots in the U.S. and have built families here. Families with TPS holders or TPS-eligible individuals include an estimated 710,000 U.S. citizens, including 130,000 U.S. citizen spouses and 360,000 U.S. citizen minor children. Whether these families will be able to remain safe and together is inextricably bound to their loved ones’ TPS protections.
Temporary Protected Status provides limited protections, but still offers lifesaving humanitarian relief for those who cannot safely return to their countries.
TPS is a statutory program administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The program offers work authorization and deportation protections for individuals in the U.S. who cannot safely return to their countries. Foreign-born individuals can apply for TPS if Congress or the Secretary of Homeland Security issues a designation that “conditions in the country temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely,” often due to violent conflict or natural disaster. Many TPS recipients entered the U.S. initially as temporary visitors, individuals seeking humanitarian relief, or without immigration status.
Upon registration with and approval by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), TPS holders are protected from deportation and can apply for work authorization. Only individuals already in the U.S. when a designation is announced are eligible to receive TPS, leaving no protections for newly arriving undocumented individuals. The program is not a substitute for refugee programs that provide relief to individuals actively fleeing dangerous conditions.
Fourteen countries are currently designated for Temporary Protected Status, and the program status varies by country. For example, the Trump Administration attempted to terminate designations for El Salvador (which had a TPS holder population of 198,000 in 2021), Honduras (60,000), Nepal (10,000), and Nicaragua (3,000),5 but federal courts blocked these attempts, stalling their terminations and allowing current TPS holders from those countries to retain their TPS-granted status for the time being, including work authorization and deportation protections. However, without redesignating these countries, new applicants from these countries are unable to apply, even if they meet other eligibility criteria.
Meanwhile, many countries have more recently active registration windows, including countries with more recent designations like Venezuela (estimated TPS-eligible6 population of 190,000 in 2022), Haiti (149,000), Afghanistan (70,000), Ukraine (30,000), Burma (14,000), Yemen (7,000), Somalia (4,000), Sudan (3,000), South Sudan (4,000), and Syria (4,000). Individuals in the U.S. from these countries, and living in the U.S. since before a recent date, can apply.
For more information on Temporary Protected Status, see our TPS blog: 5 Things to Know.
“The long-term solution for TPS holders living in the U.S. for many years is a pathway to citizenship, which Congress should pass without further delay.”
TPS holders need more certainty from Congress and the Biden Administration so they can continue to contribute to the U.S. economy and support their families.
Even with work authorization and deportation protections, TPS holders face great uncertainty for their long-term presence in the U.S. While the Trump Administration’s attempts to end TPS for certain countries remain stalled in the courts, those designations could still be ended by court order, and it is not guaranteed that DHS will extend TPS for other previously designated countries when their designation expires.7 When designations are allowed to expire, TPS holders often have no other pathway to remain in the U.S. beyond what exists under current law.
Most TPS holders have called the United States home for decades and have built lives and families here. They are integral members of the workforce and their communities. They are significantly contributing to the economy at a time when the U.S. is experiencing unprecedented labor shortages. And they count hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens as spouses and children. Forcing TPS recipients to return to these countries would force them to abandon everything they’ve built here, and would send them back into uncertainty and, in many cases, danger. The United States should offer TPS holders a real opportunity to remain in the country they have called home for so long, and to continue contributing their skills here.
The long-term solution for TPS holders living in the U.S. for many years is a pathway to citizenship, which Congress should pass without further delay. And Congress could take other vital steps right now to help TPS holders and their families.
“Temporary Protected Status has shown that protection from deportation and access to work authorization provides significant benefits for immigrant families.”
For example, many TPS individuals married to or who are the children of U.S. citizens could be eligible for lawful permanent residency if Congress eliminated three- and ten-year bars that make it nearly impossible for undocumented individuals, including TPS holders, to obtain a green card. The American Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6), passed with bipartisan support by the House of Representatives in 2021, offers some TPS holders a direct pathway to lawful permanent residency. But it has not been taken up by the Senate. Similarly, the Dignity Act (H.R. 6637) introduced by Republican House members provides a pathway to citizenship for TPS holders living in the U.S. since before 2016.
Temporary Protected Status has shown that protection from deportation and access to work authorization provides significant benefits for immigrant families, allowing them to improve their economic condition, keep their families together, and fully participate in their local communities. Work authorizations available to TPS holders also allow them to contribute more significantly to the U.S. economy. At the same time, Congress and the Biden Administration have significant work to do to provide certainty for TPS holders looking toward the future.
Notes
- For a good overview of TPS history, see this Congressional Research Service report.
- Findings are based on augmented 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) data, available from IPUMS. Immigrant status was classified by FWD.us researchers based on social, demographic, and economic characteristics. See immigration status methodology from our essential workers report for more details.
- Data are from 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Estimates have likely decreased during the past two years, considering that the 2022 labor force participation rate for the U.S. overall is about 2 percentage points lower, around 62%.
- Economic impact estimates are after the payment of federal, state, and local taxes, based on 2019 income in augmented ACS data.
- TPS holder population estimates are the most recent known number of holders based on data from USCIS. (See Congressional Research Service’s TPS report, page 6, for a detailed list of countries, applicable residency dates, and population estimates).
- Country estimates for the TPS-eligible population include undocumented immigrants, likely nonimmigrant visa holders (such as H-1B, H-2B, international students who overstayed), and upward adjustments for Haitian and Venezuelan new arrivals applying for asylum between 2019 and 2021. TPS-eligible population estimates are lower than those published by USCIS, whose estimates include all noncitizens, including those with lawful permanent residency (LPR). This report assumes LPRs would not apply for TPS. Separately, this report also assumes no emigration of TPS-eligible individuals since 2019.
- Most countries are designated for a period of 18 months, at which point DHS reviews and considers prospective extension of protections for current holders or redesignation (allowing new individuals to apply).
