Jan. 9, 2018
Archbishop William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, expressed disappointment and grave concern at the Department of Homeland Security’s announcement yesterday that it is terminating the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador.
“I am deeply concerned for the safety of the nearly 200,000 Salvadorans, 20,000 of whom are our neighbors here in Maryland, who are being forced to return to a country that is unsafe and is clearly unable to adequately handle their return,” Archbishop Lori said. “We must work for a solution that does not put innocent lives in danger and does not fragment families. I echo the statement of the U.S. Bishops in calling for Congress to find a legislative solution for long-term TPS recipients, who are an integral part of our communities, including here in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The parishes, schools, and charitable agencies of the Archdiocese of Baltimore stand ready to assist and fully support Salvadoran TPS recipients.”
TPS is a temporary, renewable, and statutorily authorized humanitarian migration program that permits individuals to remain and work lawfully in the U.S. during a period in which it is deemed unsafe for nationals of that country to return home.