Immigrant workers with temporary protected status make significant contributions to New York's economy and communities, according to new research from Cornell University's ILR School.
The report, "We Are Home: Workers with TPS Belong Here," was produced through the Worker Institute and focuses on Central American workers who have held the humanitarian immigration status for decades.
Temporary protected status, known as TPS, is granted by the federal government to citizens of countries affected by war and other crises. Cornell said many Central American TPS holders have maintained the status for 25 to 30 years.
Patricia Campos-Medina, executive director of the Worker Institute, co-authored the report with Natalia Navas, an extension associate of Labor Leadership Initiatives. The research used published data, empirical research on temporary workers and focus groups with 29 Central American TPS holders conducted in Spanish and English.
The report found that participants had strong attachments to their New York communities, were highly engaged in civic and political organizations and viewed the United States as their home. Cornell said many are also parents of U.S.-born children under 18.
Campos-Medina said TPS workers are already part of American society and should have a path to permanency. She said TPS workers are fully employed because proving employment is a requirement of the program and are concentrated in industries important to the U.S. economy, including health care, construction and logistics.
The report says the United States is home to nearly 1.6 million immigrant workers with TPS, including about 300,000 Central Americans. It also cites Center for American Progress data showing more than 279,200 U.S.-born citizens depend on TPS-holder parents.
Cornell said recent federal immigration enforcement policies and efforts to terminate legal immigration statuses, including TPS and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, have increased uncertainty for immigrant workers and their families.
The report recommends that Congress create a pathway to permanent residence and eventual citizenship for TPS holders. It also calls for stronger TPS administration, more informed legislation, expanded union education on TPS and inclusion of TPS holders in policymaking.
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