The Department of Homeland Security announced on Monday the end of temporary protected statuses of citizens from Honduras and Nicaragua, ending long-standing protections for tens of thousands of migrants who have lived legally for more than 20 years.
Temporary protected status, known as TPS, is a federal program that provides temporary legal status and work permits to individuals in countries experiencing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other exceptional conditions.
The decision includes a 60-day wind-blowing period, after which an estimated 60,000 Honjuran and 4,000 Nicaraguans will lose legal work permits and protection from deportation. The TPS designation for both groups was first granted in 1999 following natural disasters and was not safe to return to natural countries.
The move marks a critical rollback of protections that have been at the heart of legal and political combat for years.
In 2018, the Trump administration announced the end of the TPS for immigrants from Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Nepal and Haiti. The decision was made by Ramosv. Nielsen and Bhattaraiv. He was immediately challenged in court through Nielsen’s case and halting the enforcement of termination.
Although a partial resignation was made in 2023, when the Biden administration expanded the TPS for affected countries, not all designations were renewed before the administration resigned.
Honduras and Nicaraguan citizens have expired on the Trump administration’s immigration platform, which prioritizes enforcement and removal over humanitarian protection.
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In response to Monday’s announcement, immigration advocacy groups accused the move of being unable to defend morally and legally. Martha Arevalo, executive director of the Central American Resource Center in Los Angeles, called the layoffs in the TPS community “devastating.”
“The TPS holders in Honduran and Nicaragua, like many other immigrant communities, have contributed greatly to the US economy through taxes and labor, giving the country the best year in their lives,” Arevalo said in a statement. “In return, they encounter cruelty, inhumane treatment, and systemic injustice.”
Arevalo further warned that the results would feel instantly and sharply in communities across the country, especially in areas like Los Angeles, where one of the largest Central Americans in the United States. “We are faced with the devastating reality that more families are at risk,” she said. “The TPS community is resilient and keeps being organized. This lawlessness must be stopped right now.”
The end of the TPS comes amid a wider immigration crackdown led by the Trump administration. Over the past few weeks, Los Angeles County has experienced a surge in federal immigration enforcement businesses, including prominent residential attacks and commercial businesses such as car washes, retail stores and restaurants.
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The increased visibility of these actions led to widespread protest and increased fear among migrant communities.
Activists and city leaders have accused the federal government of intentionally targeting sanctuary jurisdictions like Los Angeles to create conflict and undermine local policies. “We’re witnessing it in real time… families are torn apart, and both American citizens and immigrants are terrified by federal agents,” Arevalo said.
With deportation protections being revoked for tens of thousands of Honduras and Nicaraguan immigrants, supporters are urging Congress to intervene, calling for a permanent legislative solution called “systematic atrocities” in the treatment of immigrant communities.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to KTLA’s request for comment.
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