Country Conditions in El Salvador Remain Inhospitable for Return
Country Conditions in El Salvador Remain Inhospitable for Return
RCUSA Urges the Administration to Extend Temporary Protected Status
for Salvadorans an Additional 18-months
Washington, DC – Responding to recent reports that the Department of State has recommended termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador to the Department of Homeland Security, RCUSA rises in solidarity with the nearly 200,000 Salvadorans who have become integral members of our communities across the United States and urges the Administration to consider current country conditions and extend TPS an additional 18-months.
American University’s recent report on ‘Extending TPS for El Salvador: Country Conditions and U.S. Legal Requirements’ wades deeply into the justifications for the extension of TPS for Salvadorans over the years and concludes that El Salvador is not yet able to adequately handle the return of its nationals who are residing in the U.S. with TPS. Likewise, it is well documented that the homicide rate in El Salvador was the highest throughout Latin America and the Caribbean in 2016.
Speaking today from New York, Hans Van de Weerd, RCUSA Chair, stated, “termination of TPS for El Salvador is likely to further destabilize Central America’s volatile Northern Triangle. The Salvadoran government has likewise asked the US Government to extend life-saving opportunities for protection of these vulnerable citizens as they continue to work alongside regional partners to stabilize country conditions and recover from a series of natural disasters. Disregarding the totality of these circumstances is ill-advised.”
RCUSA supports measures that ensure the dignity, well-being, and access to protection of Salvadoran TPS-holders.
Contact: Danielle Grigsby, RCUSA Associate Director, dgrigsby@rcusa.org