Temporary Protected Status

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is designated by the U.S. government to a country. TPS allows people from that country to stay and work in the United States. 

​TPS is designated when there are conditions in the country that prevent people from returning safely, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest. In certain circumstances, TPS can be designated when the country is unable to handle the return of former residents adequately.

More than 900,000 immigrants have permission to live and work in our country today through a form of humanitarian relief called Temporary Protected Status (TPS). As the name implies, TPS is not a grant of permanent legal status. Rather, TPS beneficiaries receive provisional protection against deportation and permission to work in the United States for a limited period of time. They must renew their TPS status at least every 18 months and undergo security screening with each renewal. 
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The majority of TPS beneficiaries have been contributing to our communities and our economy for years and even decades, but their status is now at risk. As unions continue to push Congress to enact a long-overdue path to citizenship, we will also fight to protect TPS-holders and their families. 

Why is this important for working people? 

  • TPS terminations are bad for the economy and cause severe workforce disruption.
  • TPS terminations may push workers into the underground economy, making them more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
  • TPS terminations instill fear in our communities and workplaces—when some workers are scared into silence, we are all at greater risk. 
  • TPS terminations separate families and disrupts livelihoods. 
  • TPS holders are union members.

TPS Worker Preparedness Checklist

The AFL-CIO's Progressive Workers Coalition developed the following TPS Worker Preparedness Checklist to support workers facing TPS terminations. ​