WASHINGTON — Jose Cabrera, a Montgomery County, Maryland, resident, joined three Latino Democratic senators on Wednesday to call for the Biden administration to renew the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Ecuador. Cabrera, who has lived in the U.S. for over 30 years, fears losing his protection as former President Donald Trump plans mass deportations following his return to the White House.
Cabrera, originally from El Salvador, holds TPS status due to the dangerous conditions in his home country. The status shields him from deportation and allows him to work legally. He and others with TPS are concerned that without a renewal, they could face deportation once Trump assumes office on January 20.
Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (NV), Alex Padilla (CA), and Ben Ray Luján (NM) are urging the Biden administration to extend TPS for El Salvador and Nicaragua, whose designations are set to expire in 2024. They also want TPS granted to Ecuador. “We know the incoming administration will push policies that tear families apart,” Cortez Masto said.
The senators also emphasized the need for quicker renewal processes for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which shields young immigrants from deportation. “We must ensure DACA renewals happen now, before the Trump administration poses a threat,” she added.
The threat of mass deportations under Trump’s administration remains a key concern. With TPS covering over 1 million immigrants, any lapse in status could expose them to deportation. TPS can last from six to 18 months and does not offer a path to citizenship. So far, 17 countries, including Ukraine, have TPS designations, often in response to crises like the war in Ukraine.
Andrea Flores, vice president of immigration policy at FWD.us, stressed that Biden should use TPS to protect immigrants from the potential threat of mass deportations under Trump. During his first term, Trump attempted to end TPS for several countries, including El Salvador and Nicaragua, but courts blocked the moves.
Padilla and Luján argued that deportations would harm both immigrant communities and the U.S. economy. “Mass deportations would destabilize the economy and sow fear among mixed-status families,” Luján said. Mixed-status families, with members having different immigration statuses, number around 4 million in the U.S.
Both Padilla and Luján noted that TPS and DACA recipients are essential workers in key U.S. industries. “Removing their work authorization would undermine our workforce,” Padilla said.
Meanwhile, Trump has said he would work with Democrats to find a solution for DACA recipients, although details remain unclear. The fate of DACA is currently in the hands of federal courts.
Thomas Saenz, president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, advised Dreamers to continue renewing their DACA status, even as the program’s future remains uncertain.
Senator Cortez Masto expressed skepticism about Trump’s commitment to protecting Dreamers. “When we presented a bipartisan bill to help Dreamers in 2018, he killed it,” she said.
Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, a DACA recipient and deputy director at United We Dream, raised concerns about the potential for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to access personal information from DACA applicants. She called for stronger protections between U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and agencies like ICE.
“The government has all of our information,” Macedo do Nascimento said, fearing that it could lead to deportations. “That’s the worst-case scenario.”
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