Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a vital humanitarian program in the United States designed to offer temporary legal status to people from countries experiencing severe crises. The program provides a lifeline for those who cannot safely return to their home countries due to ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, epidemics, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions.
As of March 2025, there were nearly 1.3 million people from 17 designated countries in the United States protected under TPS. The majority of TPS holders were from Venezuela, Haiti, El Salvador, and Ukraine.
But now, the future of TPS is in jeopardy. Since President Trump took office in January 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has canceled TPS for displaced people from Venezuela, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua. On June 25, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled the Trump administration can also proceed with canceling TPS for Haitians and Syrians. An additional seven countries could lose TPS status as the cases wind through the court system.
Overnight, these policy changes place hundreds of thousands of individuals at risk of deportation to countries where they could face danger. In this edition of HIAS’ Deep Dive series, we explore the key aspects of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), explain its benefits to the United States, and examine how the second Trump administration may end the lifesaving humanitarian program.
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What is Temporary Protected Status? Who is eligible for TPS?
Created in 1990, TPS is a temporary immigration status granted to eligible nationals of designated countries. The program aims to protect individuals from deportation and allows them to live and work legally in the United States while their home countries recover from crises. DHS reviews TPS status for each country every six to 18 months.
The countries designated for TPS are typically enduring a crisis such as ongoing armed conflict, a natural disaster (like an earthquake or a hurricane), or another temporary condition that would prevent a citizen from returning to safety. To be eligible, a national of a designated country must have been continuously present in the United States since the effective date of the TPS designation. The program does not provide a pathway to permanent residency or citizenship in the United States. TPS recipients in the United States have lawful status and are not “illegal” immigrants.
How does Temporary Protected Status Benefit the United States?
TPS provides nationals from countries afflicted with a severe, temporary crisis — think Haiti’s devastating 2010 earthquake or the ongoing war in Ukraine — with protection from deportation as well as permission to work in the United States, allowing recipients to contribute productively to the U.S. economy. TPS holders fill essential roles in industries such as healthcare, construction, hospitality, and agriculture. Long-term TPS holders are considerably more likely than the overall population to be part of the workforce; for example: 86% of TPS holders from El Salvador and 83% from Honduras, who have been in the U.S. for more than 20 years, hold jobs.
TPS holders pay an estimated $7.8 billion in taxes annually and have contributed more than $20 billion into social security over the last 25 years. These contributions support public services and infrastructure. Notably, TPS holders are not eligible for most federally funded benefits, despite contributing so much to the U.S. government and economy.
Many TPS holders are also deeply integrated into their communities where they have lived and participated in local organizations, schools, and civic activities. Their involvement enriches local culture, strengthens community ties, and contributes to the United States’ status as a global economic and cultural force.
Deep Dive: Legal Obligations to Refugees
Read MoreWhy Happens if the Trump Administration Succeeds in Ending Temporary Protected Status?
The Trump administration has made it clear that it intends to end TPS protections, regardless of persistent safety concerns in countries facing war, environmental disaster, or instability. This is also without regard for the deep roots TPS holders have established in the U.S., with some people having lived here for decades.
It is likely that DHS will revoke or allow additional country designations to expire, which would negatively impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of additional people who currently have legal status in the U.S. With the future of TPS in trouble, most TPS holders have no other options to legally stay in the country as the Trump administration has severely curtailed legal immigration. Many may self-deport or find themselves in deportation proceedings soon.
The termination of TPS will harm thousands and undermine our moral and legal obligations to protect people who are fleeing violence, persecution, and instability. No matter what, HIAS will never stop advocating for TPS and the families that rely on this lifesaving program to rebuild their lives in safety in the United States.
*Originally published on January 21, 2025. Updated on July 6, 2026.
Give today
As the world's oldest refugee agency, HIAS will always stand for refugees — no matter who is president. And we will do all we can to support our clients, every day, as we have for more than 120 years. Give with confidence to HIAS.
