From The Hill newspaper,
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Monday that it would rescind protections from deportation for Nicaragua and Honduras.
The move ends temporary protected status (TPS) for citizens of those countries living in the U.S., which were both established after the same deadly hurricane and in place for more than 25 years.
25 years? You read that correctly. The TPS status dates from 1999 and Hurricane Mitch, which struck Central America in late October 1998. The move impacts some 55,000 refugees, mostly from Honduras, the nation hardest hit from the storm.
Two things are remarkable about the story. First, an extremely powerful hurricane (180 MPH winds,75 inches of rain) occurred in a previous century. Second, this “temporary status” has lingered on for more than a quarter century.
I’m sure some district judge somewhere will try to block the move, but how long is temporary?
