Part II of a series on TPS
Don’t know what TPS is? Read the first blog post here.
As the name suggests, TPS is meant to serve as a provisional legal migration for foreign nationals who cannot return home due to violence, natural disasters, or other extreme circumstances. However, some TPS recipients have called the United States. home for almost two decades, due to ongoing life-threatening conditions within their home country. Today, around 320,000 foreign nationals from 10 countries around the world reside in the United States under the protection of TPS. The list below details who these people are, why they were granted TPS, as well as timing details of the TPS program by nation.
Designated Country
Original Designation Date
Most Recent Designation Date
Current Expiration Date
Number of People
Nicaragua
December 30, 1998
January 5, 1999
January 5, 2018
2,550
Honduras
December 30, 1998
January 5, 1999
January 5, 2018
57,000
El Salvador
February 13, 1990
March 9, 2001
March 9, 2018
195,000
Haiti
January 12, 2011
July 23, 2011
January 22, 2018
50,000
Sudan
November 4, 1997
May 3, 2013
November 2, 2017
1,040
South Sudan
January 25, 2016
May 3, 2016
May 2, 2019
50
Somalia
September 16, 1991
September 18, 2012
September 17, 2018
270
Syria
August 1, 2016
October 1, 2016
March 31, 2018
5,800
Yemen
January 4, 2017
March 4, 2017
September 3, 2018
1,000
Nepal
January 4, 2017
June 24, 2015
June 24, 2018
8,950
Why these Countries are Receiving TPS:
Central America: Nicaragua, Honduras, & El Salvador
All three countries first received TPS status after Hurricane Mitch hit in 1999, leaving a path of complete destruction and devastation. Millions of people lost their homes, and roads as well as agricultural crops needed to sustain national economies were washed away. The damage caused by Mitch and subsequent natural disasters has made it impossible for individuals to return.
Haiti
Haiti was granted TPS after a massive earthquake struck the country in 2010. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew hit the country and TPS was extended due to environmental damage and structural loss. Around 1.4 million individuals were left in need of aid and housing after the hurricane but those people are not eligible for TPS.
Sudan
Sudan began receiving TPS due to protracted civil conflict. Since then, two civil wars have meant subsequent fighting between militia groups and antigovernment rebels, displacing millions of civilians.
South Sudan
Upon the country’s independence, intense interethnic fighting erupted, leading to civil war. The United States granted South Sudan TPS after thousands were displaced, and national trade as well as infrastructure were destroyed.
Somalia*
A combination of inter-clan fighting, terrorist activity, and droughts leaving half a million dead caused the United States to grant Somalia TPS. The continued large presence of terrorist group al-Shabaab renders the country unsafe for the return of citizens.
Syria*
Syria received TPS due to explosive violence throughout the country, caused by civil war brought on by political uprisings in 2011. Syria continues to receive TPS due to ongoing violent uprisings against President Assad. Syrian nationals seeking TPS were subjected to additional security screenings and background checks due to concerns about terrorism.
Yemen*
Yemen was granted TPS because it is ensnared in civil war with neighboring Middle Eastern countries, which has created violent and unsafe living conditions for individuals. Furthermore, the war has made it difficult to deliver relief efforts due to damaged infrastructure and violence.
Nepal
In 2005, a major earthquake hit Nepal. The subsequent aftershocks, along with the initial damaged caused by the earthquake devastated much of the country’s housing and infrastructure. Roughly half a million homes were destroyed and the United States granted TPS to aid those who were rendered homeless.
*Trump’s travel ban will not affect those who are already protected under TPS from deportation, and have been protected since the designation date.
Designation dates and expiration dates are subject to change. This data was drawn from USCIS and will be updated periodically.
Up Next:
Arguments for ending TPS vs. arguments for keeping TPS — coming out October 20th