DHS Terminates Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaragua and Honduras Leaving Thousands of Latinos Facing Uncertainty

DHS Terminates Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaragua and Honduras Leaving Thousands of Latinos Facing Uncertainty

The Department of Homeland Security has formally announced the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for tens of thousands of citizens from Honduras and Nicaragua, with a 60-day period before the termination becomes effective. The decision follows a review of country conditions and will affect many families who have lived in the United States for decades under this humanitarian protection program.

TPS was originally granted to Hondurans and Nicaraguans in 1999 in response to the widespread destruction left behind by Hurricane Mitch the previous year. The storm caused catastrophic damage across Central America, with over 7,000 deaths estimated in Honduras and thousands more in Nicaragua. Since then, TPS extensions have allowed thousands of individuals to remain in the U.S. with legal work authorization and protection from deportation.

DHS Declares Conditions Safe for Return Upon Ending Temporary Protected Status

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced the decision to end TPS for Hondurans after what she described as a significant review process. “Temporary Protected Status was designed to be just that — temporary,” said Noem in an official statement. “It is clear that the Government of Honduras has taken all of the necessary steps to overcome the impacts of Hurricane Mitch, almost 27 years ago. Honduran citizens can safely return home, and DHS is here to help facilitate their voluntary return.”

The DHS press release credited the Government of Honduras with “tremendous strides” in its recovery since the disaster and concluded that the conditions in the country no longer meet the statutory requirements for TPS. The decision was based on assessments from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and consultations with the Department of State. Noem added, “Honduras has been a wonderful partner of the Administration, helping us deliver on key promises to the American people. We look forward to continuing our work with them.”

Honduran nationals are being encouraged to use the CBP Home app from U.S. Customs and Border Protection to report their departure. The package being offered includes a complimentary flight and a $1,000 exit bonus intended to support resettlement. According to DHS, the government of Honduras under President Xiomara Castro has also “taken steps to welcome home their citizens, providing access to economic and food assistance programs, as well as labor integration and job training.”

Advocates Warn of Ongoing Insecurity

Despite the announcement, immigrant advocacy groups and members of the Honduran diaspora have voiced concern. In North Carolina, Lawrence Hintz from Amigos de Honduras said the reality on the ground tells a different story. “People are still paying a war tax to gang groups for protection,” he said. Hintz pointed to the continued presence of violent gangs and the burden they place on working families. He also noted how farmers, facing prolonged drought and limited resources, have had to leave the country as what he called “refugees of climate change.”

Groups like the Florida Immigrant Coalition described the decision as one that “will devastate thousands of families who have built their lives here in Florida,” emphasizing how many of these individuals have lived in the U.S. for decades, raising children and contributing economically.

Legal Uncertainty for Nicaraguans and Others

In parallel with the Honduras decision, TPS for Nicaraguans is also set to expire. DHS explained that “the situation environmental” in Nicaragua has “improved sufficiently” for return and cited a decline in disaster-related impacts since 1999. However, critics argue that the political crisis in Nicaragua creates a separate danger. The regime of Daniel Ortega has been accused of human rights violations, persecution of political opponents, and mass detentions. Over 600,000 Nicaraguans have left the country since 2018, many of whom have sought asylum abroad.

While DHS moves forward with the termination of TPS for Honduras and Nicaragua, legal battles continue over similar decisions affecting other nationalities. A recent federal injunction temporarily blocked the end of TPS for Haitians, and earlier this year, the Supreme Court allowed the cancellation of protections for Venezuelans.

For thousands of Honduran and Nicaraguan families in the United States, the coming months represent a period of uncertainty. Now, many face the difficult choice of returning to countries they fled long ago or navigating complex immigration channels in search of a permanent solution.

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