Honduras seeks review of TPS for thousands of migrants in the United States - Jambalaya News Louisiana
Key Takeaways
- It has been reported that Honduras is urging the U.S. to review Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for its nationals, potentially seeking a redesignation that could cover more recent arrivals.
- TPS for Honduras is currently extended through July 2025, but only for long‑time beneficiaries; no new eligibility has been opened since the original 1999 designation.
- Any change must be made by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and published in the Federal Register; no formal announcement has been made.
- A redesignation would set new “continuous residence” and “physical presence” dates, allowing additional Hondurans in the U.S. to apply for protection and work permits.
- Current TPS holders should maintain status and work authorization; TPS-based EADs may qualify for up to a 540‑day automatic extension if renewal is filed on time.
What Honduras is asking for
Honduran officials are seeking a U.S. review of TPS—Temporary Protected Status, a humanitarian program under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act that allows nationals of designated countries to live and work in the United States when conditions at home make return unsafe. It has been reported that Tegucigalpa wants Washington to consider either expanding or redesignating TPS so that more Hondurans in the U.S. could qualify. DHS (U.S. Department of Homeland Security) alone has the authority to designate, redesignate, or extend TPS, and any change would be announced through a DHS decision and a detailed Federal Register notice. For now, TPS for Honduras remains extended through July 2025, with no new eligibility window opened.
TPS basics: extension vs. redesignation
An extension keeps existing beneficiaries covered and lets them re‑register to maintain status and employment authorization. A redesignation, by contrast, updates the required “continuous residence” and “physical presence” cutoff dates and opens an initial registration period for people who were not previously eligible. Honduras first received TPS in 1999 after Hurricane Mitch; since then, protections have been repeatedly extended but not redesignated, leaving tens of thousands covered but excluding more recent Honduran arrivals who cannot meet the 1999 residence requirement. DHS reversed prior termination attempts in 2023 and extended TPS for Honduras and several other countries amid litigation, but did not broaden eligibility.
What this means for Hondurans in the U.S. right now
Until DHS acts, current Honduran TPS holders should follow USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) instructions to stay in status—re‑register during announced windows, renew EADs (work permits), and watch for Federal Register notices. TPS-based EADs filed for renewal may qualify for an automatic extension of up to 540 days under a temporary USCIS rule, helping bridge processing delays. Re‑registration for Honduran TPS carries no filing fee for Form I‑821; biometrics fees have been eliminated for most applicants, though the I‑765 work permit filing fee generally applies unless a fee waiver is granted. For Hondurans without TPS, nothing changes yet: a redesignation—if DHS grants one—would open a time‑limited window to apply and could be life‑changing, but until then, individuals should explore other lawful options (such as asylum, family- or employment-based avenues) with qualified legal counsel and remain alert to scams.
Source: Original Article