SEIU’s Sáenz: Action on TPS Keeps Families Safe and Together

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rocio Sáenz, Secretary-Treasurer of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), issued the following statement in response to the extensions of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Sudan, Ukraine, and Venezuela:

"The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program was established by Congress more than thirty years ago and has been used by both Republican and Democratic administrations for qualifying countries. We commend the Biden administration for continuing to support this program, which saves lives and helps keep families safe and together.

Individuals with TPS play an essential role as workers in the U.S. economy. TPS holders and those eligible for this humanitarian program are employed across various industries and hold hundreds of thousands of jobs. They contribute approximately $31 billion in wages to the U.S. economy each year, filling positions that help strengthen and grow the economy. They contribute to our communities by paying taxes that support local schools, Social Security, and Medicaid, among other safety-net programs.

Taking action on TPS will allow our friends, neighbors, and co-workers-many of whom have lived in the U.S. for decades and have American children-to work legally and provide for their families. Ahead of Trump's mass deportation plans, TPS will offer peace of mind and stability to working families and protect them from the fear of getting separated and deported to countries facing dangerous and life-threatening conditions, such as natural disasters or civil unrest."