Migration crisis: The uncertain future of thousands of Salvadorans under TPS
The Salvadoran community in the United States is going through moments of great uncertainty due to the approaching expiration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), scheduled for next September 9. This situation puts at risk the stability of approximately 170,000 immigrants who could be exposed to deportation proceedings if the benefit is not renewed.
Celia Medrano, an expert in migration and human rights, warned about the human impact this measure would entail, noting that around 150,000 minors, children of these beneficiaries and born on U.S. soil, would face a painful family separation if their parents are forced to leave the country.
Deep roots in U.S. territory
According to Medrano’s analysis, Salvadorans covered by this status have built a consolidated life in the United States after more than two decades of legal residence. The key points that define their integration include:
- Economic stability with competitive annual income.
- Rigorous compliance with tax obligations.
- Access to owned or mortgaged housing.
- Proficiency in the English language and full adaptation to the country’s institutional culture.
These citizens have solid roots in the United States and standards of living higher than those they could find in their country of origin, which would make their social and economic reintegration in El Salvador extremely complex.
Celia Medrano, migration expert
Challenges regarding a possible forced return
The cancellation of the TPS not only implies the loss of work permits, but would also trigger deportation orders that had remained suspended for years. For many Salvadorans, the possibility of regularizing their status through other immigration channels is practically non-existent.
The expert emphasized that, in the event of a mass return, migrants would face a national reality marked by high levels of unemployment and an informal sector that exceeds 60% of the active population. Likewise, she warned about the restrictions on civic space that persist in the country, where a significant part of the population avoids expressing political opinions for fear of reprisals, a scenario very different from the one Salvadorans experience under the democratic freedoms of the United States.
Given this scenario, the call is for Salvadoran authorities to prepare adequate conditions to face the social and economic consequences that would result from an eventual forced return of their citizens.
