Florida Rep. Sheila Chefilus McCormick has introduced a new bill, the Respect Essential Workers Act, that would provide green cards to those with Temporary Protected Status in the United States. This status is available to people from war-torn countries or countries hit by natural disasters who are unable to stay in their home countries and can seek “temporary protection” in the United States. The Donald Trump administration has revoked this status for nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Myanmar, Ethiopia and Yemen. The revocation of TPS means that nationals of these countries must now return to their home countries. On March 16, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked the government’s plan to deport approximately 6,000 Syrians and 350,000 Haitians who received TPS.TPS holders cannot apply directly for a green card; they must qualify for a green card separately. For example, if they are married to a U.S. citizen, if they are sponsored by their employer, etc. In addition, TPS holders who enter the United States through inspection are more likely to obtain green cards than those who enter the United States illegally. The proposed bill says there should be a set period after which TPS holders who can be classified as essential workers can apply for green cards. “More than 403,000 TPS holders in Florida keep our communities running, working in healthcare, construction, food supply and more. Protecting essential workers is the right thing for our communities, our economy and our future,” the Democratic leader said.
Is it possible?
Given the Donald Trump administration’s hardline stance on legal and illegal immigration, it is highly unlikely that the government will grant any permanent residency to TPS holders. “TPS was designed to be temporary, and this administration is restoring TPS to its original temporary intent. We are prioritizing our national security interests and putting America first,” the Department of Homeland Security said earlier in explaining why the administration revoked TPS status for multiple countries.