Libraries and Resources for Temporary Protected Status Holders

By Johana Orellana

The Secretary of Homeland Security designates Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to countries based on conditions in that  country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.  

TPS was established by Congress in the Immigration Act of 1990. Foreign nationals with TPS protections are generally able to obtain work authorization and a driver’s license, but the TPS designation is subject to U.S. government review and can only be extended for up to 18 months. Salvadorans are by far the largest group of TPS holders. There is ongoing debate about whether migrants who have been living in the United States for long periods of time with TPS should receive a pathway to legal permanent resident (LPR) status.

The following countries were designated with TPS set to expire in 2019, except for Honduras, which is set to expire in July 2018. The figures included are the number of individuals with TPS, as of October 2017: Salvadorians (262,528), Haitians (58,557), Honduras (86,031), and Nicaraguans (5,306).

Why is this important to libraries? Libraries provide access to all members of our communities, not matter their gender, race, status, or human condition. The Core Values of Librarianship states,  “We value our nation’s diversity and strive to reflect that diversity by providing a full spectrum of resources and services to the communities we serve.” With this in mind, many communities will be affected by the termination of TPS to previously designated countries of El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, and Nicaragua. Particularly large cities like Los Angeles, Washington D.C., New York, Houston, etc., where many TPS holders reside. In particular, the 273,000 children who are U.S. citizens, but whose parents are TPS holders. The following are some ways that libraries can help families affected by the termination of TPS.  

One agency that librarians should be aware of is local Salvadorian, Haitian, Honduran, and Nicaraguan consulates. Patrons may need to go to their consulates to obtain birth certificates or other official documents. Librarians should know and provide patrons with consulate contact information. Consulates may not be able to help answer specific questions regarding the TPS application process. However, if you notice an increase in referrals or questions about consulates reach out to the individual consulate to prepare the agency to help their citizens.

Libraries can also refer patrons to CARECEN, the Central American Resource Center, a nonprofit organization that offers low-cost immigration legal services, community education programs, and advocacy and organizing to achieve fair and more inclusive immigration, education, and labor laws and policies in Los Angeles and the rest of the nation.

Librarians should refer patrons to USCIS approved list of DOJ-accredited representatives and organizations.

Librarians can order or print and supply Know Your Rights Cards in multiple languages to community members affected.

Librarians should use TPS fact sheets to inform Congress Members, Representatives, and Local officials of the impact TPS holders have on the economy and our country at large.

If you are unsure about what services are available to patrons in the area, call 2-1-1, a free and confidential community information and referral service.

These resources are available to help our immigrant communities find answers. Librarians are doing amazing work in serving TPS holders at a time when there are many questions and insecurity about their futures. Keep up the great work!

Arizona Coalition for Migrant Rights Resource Guide

The Arizona Coalition for Migrant Rights is an effort by local organizations and advocates to come together in an inclusive and diverse network from across the state to work pro-actively to change the social/political climate of immigration in Arizona and to stop the anti-immigrant tide. The Resource Guide lists organizations from Arizona’s migrant rights community. Its goal is to help facilitate communication between organizations across the state working on or concerned with the rights of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers and to help community members identify local organizations to turn to, either for help or as volunteers. Information about the individual organizations has been entered by that organization and includes websites, the type of work they do and contact names with telephone numbers/email addresses.

The News section provides links to news articles and media coverage of local, state and national immigration issues.

Membership in the coalition is free (as of this listing).

http://www.migrantrights.org/resource/index.php

University of Arizona Immigrant Student Resource Center

The Immigrant Student Resource Center (ISRC) helps recruit & retain students from immigrant & refugee backgrounds. The Center provides academic, career, scholarship, & social support to currently enrolled students, including students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) work permits, undocumented students, students with mixed-immigration status families, and students from refugee backgrounds. The center also trains university staff, faculty, and administrators on how to work more effectively with students from immigrant and refugee backgrounds.
The website provides links to scholarships & resources for DACA & undocumented Students; health and wellness information and general resources for refugees, DACA students and citizenship information.
Hours are Monday – Friday, 10 am – 5 pm.

http://eao.arizona.edu/isrc/immigrant-student-resource-center

Freedom House

Provides free support to those seeking asylum in the U.S. and Canada. Services include housing, food, clothing, legal aid, medical care, mental health care, English as a Second Language classes, education, job training, recreation, transportation, and offsite housing after asylum is gained. Located in Detroit, MI; hours and contact information available on website.

https://www.freedomhousedetroit.org/index.php/services

Immigrant Legal Access Project

The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP), in Portland Maine, provides free and low-cost immigration information and legal assistance to low-income Maine residents. ILAP helps Maine’s immigrants keep their families together, gain protection from persecution and domestic violence, attain residency and work authorization, and become proud U.S. citizens. ILAP builds stable families and improved opportunities, allowing Maine’s immigrants to contribute to their communities for generations to come. ILAP’s services include direct legal aid provided for free or low-fee, educational outreach for immigrant communities, service providers, and the general public regarding immigration laws and immigration policies, and systemic advocacy to address laws and policies affecting large numbers of Maine’s immigrants. Advocacy work is often undertaken in coalition with our Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition (MIRC) partners.
ILAP works with Project Citizenship (projectcitizenship.org) as part of a regional collaboration of organizations providing citizenship application assistance and free naturalization application assistance.

http://www.ilapmaine.org/

Language:

English, Spanish, French, Somali, Arabic

Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization

The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) serves the holistic needs of immigrants, refugees, and mainstream community members in Oregon and SW Washington. As a community-based organization, we empower children, youth, families and elders from around the world to build new lives and become self-sufficient by providing more than 150 culturally and linguistically specific social services. Services include employment and training, case management, tutoring and mentoring, language services, community development, senior services, and more.

Our vision is to be a leader of community driven, innovative programs delivered by compassionate staff who create equitable services that empower immigrants, refugees and underserved communities.

https://www.irco.org/

Police Encounters For Non Citizens, a Legal Aid Society publication

This publication advises non-citizens, and particularly undocumented non-citizens, how to interact with the police. If you are undocumented, the publication advises you:

1. Do not provide government officials information about your immigration status.
2. Do not lie.
3. Do not give false documents or carry false documentation. You do not have to tell or provide your country of birth.
4. Do not carry papers from another country. If you do, the government can use this information in a deportation proceeding.
5. Always make sure to make an emergency plan with your loved ones (in case you are detained or deported).
6. Do not sign anything at all without understanding what you are signing. If you do not understand, ask for an interpreter.

The brief publication provides other important and extremely helpful tips. It was distributed at workshops across New York City but does not appear to be posted on the Legal Aid Society website, or at least I can’t find it there. This copy appears on the website of the Council of Peoples Organization. The publication was also available in Spanish at the workshops, but I have not located the Spanish-language version online.

http://copo.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Police-encounters-English.pdf

Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition

Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) is a statewide immigrant and refugee advocacy group that hold citizenship and rights awareness workshops. TIRRC works in local communities to provide integration services for immigrants as well as outreach to community members to build support for new immigrant communities. Citizenship workshops provide practical assistance to eligible individuals. TIRRC also offers programs that promote civic engagement for new citizens. The Coalition also provides a forum to report rights abuses, register vote, and submit Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) applications.

http://www.tnimmigrant.org/