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Tonight, the Department of Homeland Security ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaragua. This decision means 5,300 Nicaraguan nationals will lose their temporary status to live and work in this country, despite the fact that many have lived lawfully here for nearly 20 years. The effective date of the termination of TPS for Nicaragua will be delayed 12 months, until January 5, 2019.

Regarding Honduras, the acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke concluded “that despite receiving input from a broad spectrum of sources, additional time is necessary to obtain and assess supplemental information pertaining to country conditions in Honduras in order to make an appropriately deliberative TPS designation determination.” No determination today means an automatic extension of the current TPS designation for Honduras for six months, through July 5, 2018.

Nicaraguans and Hondurans with TPS will be required to reapply for Employment Authorization Documents, though Hondurans will only be able to renew for six months, in order to legally work in the United States until the end of the respective termination or extension periods.

These long-term residents deserve a permanent solution and right to remain. It’s up to Congress to act.

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