Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) welcomes the recent decision by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to rescind the prior administration's termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua and to extend TPS for these countries. 

This decision represents a significant step forward in recognizing the importance of providing a temporary immigration status for individuals who are unable to return to their countries due to unsafe conditions, to include armed conflicts, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions. It allows them to live and work legally in the United States until conditions improve in their countries of origin. 

While we applaud the decision to rescind the termination of TPS, we also express our concern for individuals who arrived in the U.S. after the continuous residence dates for these designations and are therefore not eligible for TPS. We continue to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, centered in human rights, that provides a pathway to legalization and addresses the complexities and realities faced by individuals in our diverse immigrant communities. 

We recognize the resilience and contribution of TPS beneficiaries to our nation. We call on the Administration to also recognize the investment Afghan partners have made in the U.S., and Afghanistan at our behest, and ask that they use this momentum to redesignate and extend TPS for Afghan nationals as well.  

LSSNCA is committed to providing services to all persons forced to flee, regardless of their immigration pathway, throughout the Washington, D.C. metro area.