Letter to Barack Obama, President of the United States - Granting Temporary Protected Status to Filipino Nationals Legally Residing in US

Letter

In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Cardinal Timothy Dolan today called for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Filipino nationals currently residing in the United States. The TPS program is a temporary benefit aimed at providing relief to foreign nationals in the United States and countries devastated by natural disasters. It would allow Filipino nationals, now legally in the country, to stay in the U.S. for a set period of time while their home nation recovers. In response to past natural disasters, the U.S. has extended TPS to Honduras, Nicaragua and Haiti. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security, Schumer is asking that Filipino nationals be granted TPS to prevent possible deportation to a ravaged country.

"This is a compassionate and commonsense action that will remove a burden of worry from Filipino nationals legally residing here in the states whose visas may expire and may otherwise be required to return home. Obviously, it makes no sense to return these people to a devastated country and we should extend the TPS status until the Philippines is back on its feet," said Schumer.

Schumer continued, "Typhoon Haiyan had a destructive force almost unmatched in our planet's history, and caused unspeakable devastation to one of America's closest allies and friends. As the Philippines recovers from this disaster, the U.S. can help in many ways, including granting Temporary Protected Status to Filipino nationals legally residing here in the U.S., which will provide reprieve to those in danger of being deported or in violation of law for overstaying their visa. I am urging the Department of Homeland Security to grant TPS immediately as it is the right thing to do."

The TPS program is implemented through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and is a temporary benefit aimed at providing relief to immigrants residing in the United States who are unable to safety return to their home country. TPS can be granted in the event of an ongoing armed conflict, an environment disaster as well as other extraordinary and temporary conditions.

Once granted TPS, individuals may not be deported, can obtain an employment authorization document and may be granted travel authorization. In addition, individuals cannot be detained by DHS on the basis of his or her immigration status.

TPS has been granted to beneficiaries in the past. TPS designation was granted and extended for Honduras due to Hurricane Mitch. TPS designation was also granted to Haiti due to the 2010 earthquake.

Schumer today wrote President Obama and urged him to support TPS for Filipino nationals currently residing in the United States. Schumer made the case that a TPS designation would not engender an influx of illegal immigration because it is unlikely that Filipinos would be able to enter the United States, given how difficult it is to leave the country due to Typhoon Haiyan. Schumer explained that TPS would only be made available to Filipino nationals who are already in the United States and may be otherwise subject to deportation.

A copy of Schumer's letter is below:

Dear Mr. President:

I am writing to you out of concern for the large Filipino population, many of whom live in New York State, who may be in danger of being removed to their homeland despite its severe devastation from Typhoon Haiyan. I urge you to support Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Filipino nationals currently residing in the United States.

The TPS program is aimed not only at giving relief to individual foreign nationals living in the United States, but also -- and importantly -- to countries whose population and governments have been all but leveled by natural disasters. In the past, and in response to severe national disasters like Typhoon Haiyan, the United States has extended TPS to (among many other countries) Honduras, Nicaragua, and Haiti.

Unlike the situation with other countries considered appropriate for TPS where the Department of Homeland Security was concerned that a TPS designation would engender an influx of illegal immigration from those countries, it is extremely unlikely that individuals will be able to illegally enter the United States from the Philippines given how difficult it is to leave the country at this time (and the long distance between the Philippines and the United States). In fact, TPS would be available only to Filipino nationals who are already in the United States, and may otherwise be subject to deportation, at the time of the designation.

Granting TPS designation for Filipino nationals would be the fair, smart, and humane thing to do, and would help the Philippines to recover from the devastating events of Typhoon Haiyan. I urge you to act quickly to assist Filipino nationals in the United States and temporarily prevent their deportation to a ravaged country.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer

Chairman

Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security

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