The Quote Below—More Misinformation from the Media
“Just as he did during his first presidency, Donald Trump is taking aim at an immigration program known as ‘temporary protected status’ or TPS. It allows about 1 million people from nations in turmoil to stay here until conditions in their home countries improve. . . .
“Americans should consider the impact of ending the temporary protected status program. Besides the humanitarian consequences, the move will be costly for U.S. citizens. It will increase the size of the undocumented population and could spur more illegal migration. And there’s no guarantee that migrants who lose TPS will leave or be deported anyway.
“Currently, when a country is beset by natural disaster, civil war or extreme violence, the Secretary of Homeland Security can grant TPS to people from that country who are already in the U.S. . . .
“For these folks, TPS has been a lifeline. That could all change if the president-elect makes good on his promise to end the program. . . . Sending migrants back into such dire conditions would likely constitute a violation of basic human rights.
“Many Americans may not realize that they, too, could be affected if Trump ends TPS. According to a 2019 study by University of Southern California researchers, TPS holders federal, state, and local taxes estimated at $4.6 billion a year. That figure is certainly higher now, as the program has expanded since then. . . .
Critics of TPS call it ‘amnesty’ and complain that it allows migrants to stay here permanently. Not true. The program does not offer anyone a green card or a pathway to citizenship. Nor does it go on endlessly; it lasts for up to 18 months and must be renewed by the federal government. Over time TPS designations have ended for multiple countries as their conditions have improved. . . . “ — Next Up for Trump’s Immigration Axe: Temporary Protected Status, Paul Reyes, The Hill, 11/24/24 [Link]
Fact Check of Above Quote: The TPS program is long overdue for an overhaul, if not outright termination. Quite commonly it is not temporary at all. Over the years our government has extended TPS far beyond any reasonable limits. To illustrate, citizens of Honduras and Nicaragua living in the U.S. got TPS after a hurricane struck their countries in 1998. Now, 26 years later, they still have this protected status. Another example is El Salvador, whose citizens have enjoyed TPS since 2001 when an earthquake stuck that country. .
Contrary to the author of the article above, this program—at least in some case—does seem to go on endlessly, regardless of present conditions in the homelands of people who are covered by the program. Yes, this is an amnesty. Even though TPS doesn’t directly lead to a green card and citizenship, there are many immigration lawyers who offer advice to TPS people on how to get those benefits.
The statement that TPS people pay taxes (particularly those who arrived here illegally) is irrelevant without the statement of how much tax-paid money they receive in benefits. If the benefits are greater, they are a net fiscal loss to society. Illegal aliens overall get more from taxes than they pay.
The idea that curtailing TPS will encourage illegal immigration is absurd. The exact opposite is true. If we reward lawbreaking with de facto amnesty, we will only encourage more of that lawbreaking.
Will President-elect Trump really “take aim” at TPS? If so, it’s about time.