Trump Administration Says TPS Holders Must Obtain Permanent Status or Return Home
The Trump administration has reiterated that immigrants living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) must obtain a lawful permanent immigration status or eventually return to their home countries.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Department of Homeland Security official Markwayne Mullin said TPS recipients should pursue available legal pathways to remain in the United States permanently if eligible.
“Either complete the necessary paperwork and obtain legal status, or we will assist you in returning to your home country,” Mullin said. He added that the administration would provide transportation assistance and financial support for eligible individuals returning voluntarily.
The remarks come after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the administration to move forward with ending TPS protections for certain groups, including migrants from Haiti and Syria. TPS provides temporary legal protection and work authorization to nationals of countries affected by war, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions.
For years, TPS protections have been repeatedly renewed for many countries. However, the Trump administration has been pursuing efforts to phase out the program for several nations, arguing that it was intended as a temporary measure rather than a long-term immigration solution.
Critics of the policy note that the U.S. State Department continues to warn against travel to countries such as Haiti and Syria because of ongoing security concerns, including violence, terrorism, kidnapping, and political instability.
The United States first granted TPS to Haitian nationals following the devastating 2010 earthquake. Syrian nationals became eligible for the protection in 2012 after the outbreak of the country’s civil war.
The future of TPS remains a major issue in the broader national debate over immigration policy, affecting hundreds of thousands of immigrants currently living and working in the United States.
