North Texas Salvadorans anxious as immigrant program faces Jan. 8 deadline
Immigrant allies want the Trump Administration to renew a program that allows about 36,300 Salvadorans in Texas — out of an estimated 195,000 nationwide — to continue living and working here on a temporary basis.
“As local officials, it is our obligation to ensure all of our residents’ safety and well-being, including those of immigrants and their families,” stated a letter signed by city leaders, including Dallas Mayor Michael S. Rawlings. “We are gravely concerned that failure to renew El Salvador’s TPS designation will harm hundreds of thousands of people in our communities.”
NEW❗️Bipartisan group of 19 Mayors & local leaders urge the Trump administration to extend TPS for El Salvador. 195,000 Salvadoran TPS holders contribute over $3 billion to the American economy every year. We can’t turn our backs on them. #saveTPS pic.twitter.com/RpVdxUvO2N
— Cities for Action (@citiesforaction) January 3, 2018
El Salvador’s Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, has until Jan. 8 to be renewed. An extension to the program has to be made 60 days before it expires, according to the Federal Register. El Salvador’s TPS runs out on March 9.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Area, Salvadorans are the second largest Hispanic population at 75,000, according to the Pew Research Center. The Mexican immigrant community is the largest with 1.6 million people.
The Salvadoran community includes people who fall under various descriptions, including undocumented workers, legal residents, naturalized citizens, U.S. born children and “TPS holders.” Under TPS, people displaced by political conflicts or natural disasters are allowed to live and work in the United States temporarily.
Diane A. Smith: 817-390-7675, @dianeasmith1
This story was originally published January 3, 2018 at 12:59 PM with the headline "North Texas Salvadorans anxious as immigrant program faces Jan. 8 deadline."