Expanding Temporary Protected Status
significantly benefits U.S. citizen family members

TPS boosts financial security for all family members, including U.S. citizen members

TPS holders are more able to contribute to their communities with TPS, including local economies and positively changing their U.S. citizen family members’ futures, as shown by Professor Menjívar’s research of long-term TPS holders from El Salvador and Honduras, based on a survey of TPS holders from these two countries and years of qualitative research,

TPS holders land better-paying jobs, and their incomes grow, increasing their ability to provide better opportunities for their families. For instance, approximately one-third of Honduran and Salvadoran TPS beneficiaries own their homes, according to Menjívar’s survey.

Marco is a 47-year-old Salvadoran man, who works as a paralegal in Texas and has four U.S.-born children. His income and security of residence, even if temporary, allowed him to purchase a home. Through his work he has been able to support his four children. “I have been able to provide for them so they become professionals. The oldest one works as a mechanic for airplanes, the second one is studying political science and international relations, and the last two are still in school. I want them to become professionals and good citizens of their community.”

His 22-year-old son, born in Texas and working as a specialized mechanic for Southwest, added, “The biggest thing I’ve had in my life is that I have a wonderful family that has given me financial stability. I was able to go to school and because of their TPS, I knew that my parents were safe and would be there to pick me up from school when I was little. This was a huge thing growing up.”

Graciela is also a mother of U.S. citizen children; she describes TPS as allowing her to support her family and put them on a path to future success: “I have been able to provide 100% of the financial support my children need so they can focus solely on their studies and academic careers. They have legal status (U.S. citizenship) so they were able to apply for financial aid to cover tuition. I am so proud that one is an architect, another is a teacher, and the other is an accountant with also a business administration degree.”

Jonathan, a U.S.-born child of a TPS beneficiary, says: “My dad, through his labor, gave me the opportunity to finish college without worrying about paying for food or lodging, among other expenses. I studied what I wanted because my parents’ financial support was enough. Now I work at the university and for a well-known private company as a biochemist.”

TPS offers U.S. citizen children greater educational opportunities

TPS offers greater security of residence, allowing TPS holders to more actively participate in community organizations and their childrens’ schools. Higher incomes also allow parents to provide better educational opportunities for their children, especially in higher education, which translates directly into socioeconomic mobility for their children.

Family and economic stability is a catalyst for those educational opportunities. For instance, Gustavo is a Honduran TPS holder who lives in New York City and works as a business administrator. He emphasizes the importance of having a Social Security number and an ID, which has opened many doors. He was able to pursue a degree in business and his job requires that he travel to different cities; without proper identification he wouldn’t be able to do so.

He has been able to be more selective about the kind of jobs he applies for. He also feels more secure knowing that he doesn’t have to be afraid when he leaves the house for work. He is focused on providing his three U.S.-born children every opportunity he can so they can get ahead. Lack of fear from deportation and the ability to travel for business without concerns of being taken into immigration custody has allowed Gustavo to invest more directly in his children’s education, from grade school through college.

In Gustavo’s own words: “I have the opportunity to support my children 100% because of the stability that TPS provides. It’s a priority for me that my children graduate from college, and thanks to TPS I have been able to do this for them. It’s also the security of knowing we won’t be separated. I have a stable job and I am not fearful to leave the house.” Today, one of Gustavo’s children is a biologist, another is an economist, and the youngest is studying mental health sciences.

In another example, Yanira, a 28-year-old U.S. citizen whose mother is a TPS holder, says: “Thanks to my mother’s TPS, she was able to provide me with financial support so I could finish college. I was able to apply for scholarships because her status allowed me to. Even though her status is temporary, she never allowed me to worry about it, she made sure it didn’t affect my life. My mother has been the pillar of my life. I finished my degree and work as an architect now.”

And another success story of a U.S.-born child of a TPS holder, Noemi: “I am a full-time student. I have had 100% financial support from my mom. She wants me to focus on studying so I can get ahead. Her TPS allowed her to work so she could provide for my basic necessities.”

TPS provides qualitative improvement in the physical and mental health of U.S. citizen family members

Professor Menjivar’s survey of TPS holders also finds that TPS holder families are more likely to have health insurance: three-quarters of Hondurans and Salvadorans on TPS are insured.

Many TPS beneficiaries work for private employers who extend benefits to their workers, including access to health insurance. Carlos, a TPS holder, says that, in his view, this helps the U.S. government because it means he’s not drawing on government benefits for his U.S.-citizen son's health issues. And it helps his family because they don't have to pay out of pocket for the daunting costs of the son’s healthcare. It also gives the family peace of mind that they don't have long waits for care, as their employment-based insurance allows them to see a doctor more quickly.

As another example, Elba, a 50-year-old Salvadoran woman living in California who works in services for adult seniors, explained that having TPS has essentially meant an “investment in the future.” She was able to attend community college, which opened opportunities, including finding a job that offered better benefits and salary. As a single mother of three, Elba is particularly proud that she has supported her children through her work. Her more stable and better-paying job with good benefits has allowed her to provide health insurance coverage for her (now adult) U.S. citizen children and has afforded her the stability to purchase a home. All these economic improvements allowed for Elba’s children to have a brighter future.

Similarly, Rosa Maria, a 48-year-old Salvadoran woman who lives in Washington, D.C., started out working in the U.S. as a janitor. With TPS, she was able to get a job as a salesperson and went to school to become a licensed cosmetologist. With her higher income, she was able to support her U.S.-born daughters’ education; the older one is a registered nurse, and the younger one is a full-time student.

She is especially grateful for the security and emotional stability that TPS provides: “The security that TPS gave me to be able to see my daughters grow up here, to ensure that they would become professionals in this country. To be here with them and that they know that when I go out, I will return home. Stability is very important. The certainty that we’re together and won’t be separated gives us such psychological and emotional support.” With legal status, Rosa Maria was able to provide the emotional support and mental well-being her daughters needed, freed from the anxiety of the potential deportation of their mother.