Philippine Government Requests Temporary Protected Status

The Philippine government has requested that the United States grant temporary protected status (TPS) to allow certain Filipinos to remain in the United States due to Typhoon Haiyan. This request, if granted, would be a temporary measure designed to provide protections to those who cannot return to their homes following the devastation wreaked by this terrible storm. As of this writing, this request is still under consideration.

Background: TPS Suggested Following Typhoon

The possibility of TPS was suggested by immigration advocates and others immediately following Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013. As explained in the MurthyDotCom NewsBrief, USCIS on Options Available After Natural Disasters (21.Nov.2013), TPS is a form of relief given for a period of six to eighteen months (with possible extensions). TPS allows individuals who are present in the United States at the time of natural disasters, outbreaks of violence, and other upheavals in their home countries, to remain lawfully in the United States. Individuals with TPS are also eligible to apply for work and travel authorization.

U.S. to Consider Philippine Government’s Request

The Philippine government’s formal request was transmitted through official diplomatic channels to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). News reports reflect the interest of the Philippine government in both safeguarding its citizens who are in the United States, as well as the likelihood that individuals allowed to work under a TPS grant would remit money to struggling family members in the Philippines.

The DHS will now confer with other U.S. government officials to evaluate the TPS request. If approved, the TPS designation and related details would be published in the federal register. Since 1999, natural disasters have prompted the United States government to grant TPS to four countries: El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Honduras.

Conclusion

Many in the immigration community are hopeful that the United States will consent to provide the requested TPS to Filipinos in their time of need. The Murthy Law Firm will continue to follow this matter and provide updates to MurthyDotCom readers, once a decision is reached by the DHS.

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