Yes, it is actually advisable for people who have TPS to determine whether or not they are eligible for any other immigration relief. The issue with TPS is that it is very temporary. It helps the person while the country is being re-designated, but in the meantime, it’s always good to see if there is another way that the person can get more permanent immigration status.

The Trump administration has said that they don’t plan to continue designating these countries for TPS. As previously mentioned, the government usually re-designates countries for 18 months, but the current administration ended TPS for Nicaragua, Haiti and El Salvador, and extended Honduras for only 6 months. DHS also made an announcement to the citizens of Haiti that preparations are being made to have them leave the country within those six months, and that they are not planning to renew or re-designate Haiti for TPS in the future.

The reason that Haiti was designated for TPS in the first place was because of an earthquake in 2010. The problem with the Trump administration’s plan is the fact that Haiti is still not prepared to take back those thousands-or even maybe millions-of people who could be deported back to Haiti. They don’t have the infrastructure. In addition, there have been some medical problems as a result of all the hurricanes that we are facing. If the government decides not to re-designate Haiti for TPS, that will lead to a humanitarian crisis not only in the United States, but also in Haiti, since they don’t yet have sufficient means to receive those people back into country.

One of the main challenges is the fact that these people from Haiti have built everything that they have in the United States. They are members of our communities, they have jobs, they go to our churches, and their children go to the same schools as ours do. We are not just sending the parents who have been protected; we are also sending their children. In addition, they have been paying taxes all of these years, they have properties here and they have businesses here. If TPS is not re-designated, then everything that these people have will be taken away, and they will be returned to a country in which they will not able to sustain themselves. Therefore, it’s not just about the people who are the beneficiaries of TPS, it’s also about their children. These are entrepreneurial people, who came to the U.S. to work hard and make a bright future for their families.

What is the advice that I would give to these people? As I said before, they have to explore other means to become a resident. They may have family members that qualify, or they may qualify for asylum. People from all of the other countries that have TPS should start to determine what other options may be available to them in case the government decides not to re-designate their countries in the future. At least they would have a plan and an idea of what they could apply for while they are in the United States.

At this time, I wouldn’t recommend anyone that is under DACA or TPS to travel. TPS is more protected because we at least know for how long a country is designated, but it’s still very risky to travel at this time. The only people who may want to consider getting advance parole and travelling outside of the country are those who entered the United States illegally. If they left the country and then re-entered legally, then at least their most recent entrance into the country was done legally. That would open up a lot of opportunities for them, especially if at some point a family member petitioned for them. Other than that, I don’t think anyone should be traveling, even with an advance parole.

Make sure that you have a plan. Start getting involved in civic organizations that are trying to put pressure on the government to renew TPS. There are some organizations that are trying to force congressmen to pressure the government not to terminate TPS. Make sure that you have a plan, because then you will at least know what you need to do.