Temporary Protected Status: Amnesty-Lite

Mark Krikorian; Robert Law

By Mark Krikorian and Robert Law on May 27, 2021

Listen to "Temporary Protected Status: Amnesty-Lite" on Spreaker.

Summary

The Biden administration recently granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to all Haitian illegal and legal aliens in the United States. TPS prevents the deportation of illegal aliens, but more importantly, it rewards them with work permits, drivers’ licenses, Social Security numbers, and the ability to travel abroad and return. Under the law, countries should only be designated for TPS due to (1) ongoing armed conflict; (2) an environmental disaster; or (3) extraordinary and temporary conditions, and it only applies if these conditions prevent the safe return of nationals.

Robert Law, the Center’s Director of Regulatory Affairs and Policy, discusses the abuse of this statutory authority that has grown the TPS population to well over half a million illegal alien beneficiaries from 12 countries, whose "temporary" status is routinely renewed, sometimes for decades. Law also offers several recommendations on how, by regulation or by statute, limits can be placed on executive authority to provide amnesty-lite to aliens.

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Host

Mark Krikorian is the Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies.

Guest

Robert Law is the Director of Regulatory Affairs and Policy for the Center for Immigration Studies. He is a recognized expert on the legal immigration system, with particular understanding of the impact that employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant policies affect the wages and opportunities for American workers.