The Importance of TPS

On my ventures to Ilobasco in El Salvador, I observed a rather disturbing change in many cities and communities. Many of the vibrant cities I first saw when I was seven, such as Ilobasco, have become closed societies in which the common trust has been lost. I had to be much more cautious during my second time in El Salvador than during my first visit; my parents reminded me to be careful with my choice of words and what I took out in public and chose to wear.

The color red that I loved when I was a child, which to me represents American patriotism, is now a gang symbol that put a target on my back. Anything that was too “American” or that indicated wealth had a negative connotation in the minds of the gang members. I felt that Ilobasco had turned into a city of uncertainty.

Temporary Protected Status for Salvadorans ended on January 8. The USCIS notes that a country may be designated Temporary Protected Status due to temporary conditions in the country, like ongoing armed conflict. The program has allowed people from various countries to move to America temporarily under the circumstance that the nationals are unable to return safely.

The Trump administration’s decision to end this program will be extremely detrimental to Salvadoran immigrants living in America. In the wake of the gang violence crisis which arose in 1992 after the end of the Salvadoran Civil War, many Salvadorans who immigrated to America don’t feel safe returning to El Salvador and live in fear after witnessing and hearing of the deaths of various family members and friends.

The decision to end TPS was misguided since sending a large influx of people to El Salvador with no place to stay and without knowledge of the native language would be a death trap in violence-ridden areas. The federal government even acknowledges these dangers; it issued a travel warning to Americans traveling to El Salvador.

For context, El Salvador was named the murder capital of the world by USA Today in 2016 due to a 70 percent increase in murders since 2014, with a homicide rate of 104 people per 100,000, according to the World Bank. The dangerous situation in El Salvador brings the ethics of the decision into question. This is due to Trump showing a liking toward Caucasians and stating that he would welcome citizens of Norway into the U.S., but is kicking out people with dangerous situations in their homeland. This shows that he cares more about race than helping those in need.

According to Norwegian politician Gina Barstad, the remarks made by the U.S. president show his “lack of understanding about the conditions in other countries, both in Haiti and in Norway.” The remarks made by Trump when discussing Norway seem to be praises of the country and subtle jabs to get citizens of Norway to come to the U.S., but his attempt has been futile. According to NBC News, many Norwegian citizens are quoted explicitly saying they would not move out of their country, with some even going as far as to say that it is due to Trump being in power.

The end of TPS for Salvadorans has affected my family and friends. Many are worried about how they would survive if they get sent back and if their hometowns are safe enough to return to. Many adults in this situation are conflicted about whether they should leave their children in America, as it would be the best bet for a better life, or if they should take their children with them so they can watch them grow up and make sure they are safe and well cared for.

However, the majority of the members of my family who were born in El Salvador were fortunate enough to have gotten a green card under a policy enacted by the Reagan Administration and are now stepping up to try to obtain citizenship, as they see it as the only way to have a future in this country. This is not the case for many of the other Salvadorans who did not have this opportunity and now have to watch as their families are torn apart and sent away as if they are insignificant and have not earned the human right of protection from violence.