A key principle in U.S. immigration policy is that we will not return migrants to a country
where their life or freedom will be threatened. The U.S. can provide safe haven on an
individual basis, as asylum or refugee status for those who are fleeing persecution, or to groups of people for humanitarian reasons. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a form of protection established under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1990 (INA). The Secretary of Homeland Security can provide TPS to citizens of a country for 6 to 18 months at a time if there is serious armed conflict; a natural disaster; or if “extraordinary and temporary conditions” would prevent them from returning home. If at the end of that period conditions have not improved, TPS can be extended. Only people who were already in the U.S. at the time of TPS designation can qualify. TPS recipients are not on a path to a green card or citizenship. Instead, TPS is a temporary benefit and TPS holders can obtain work authorization. TPS holders are also able to apply for special permission to travel and return to the U.S. If TPS is denied or ends, individuals can be subject to deportation.
Download the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) (December 2022) factsheet to learn more.