MINNEAPOLIS, MN — For 25 years, Salvadoran TPS holders have done far more than live in the United States. They have raised families, built careers and businesses, cared for loved ones, strengthened our economy, and helped shape the communities we call home.
Today, nearly 3 million people of Salvadoran origin are part of communities across the United States, and roughly 170,000 Salvadorans are currently protected by TPS. Their lives are deeply rooted here. Their children have grown up here. They are our neighbors, our coworkers, our friends, our families, and our community.
El Salvador was designated for Temporary Protected Status in 2001 following devastating earthquakes. More than two decades later, families who have built entire lives in this country are once again facing uncertainty about their future.
The latest TPS designation was scheduled to expire on September 9. The Department of Homeland Security has said Salvadorans currently protected by TPS will retain that protection until a final decision is announced. For now, their protection remains, but so does the uncertainty.
“Uncertainty has consequences. When families do not know whether they can continue working, providing for their children, or planning for their future, entire communities feel that instability,” said Francisco Segovia, Executive Director of COPAL. “After 25 years, Salvadoran families should not have to continually prove that they belong. They have already helped build the communities we share.”
COPAL urges Salvadoran TPS holders to rely on trusted, verified information and seek qualified legal guidance before making decisions about their employment or immigration status. We also urge employers not to act on rumors, confusion, or outdated information that could unnecessarily put workers’ livelihoods at risk.
After 25 years of building home, Salvadoran families deserve more than uncertainty. They deserve the stability and dignity that reflect what our communities already know: they belong here.
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About COPAL
COPAL Minnesota is a member-based organization driven to improve the quality of life for Minnesota’s Latine communities. For more information, please visit www.copalmn.org.
