Somerville Joins Cambridge In Calling For TPS Extension

SOMERVILLE, MA – The Somerville Board of Aldermen unanimously passed a resolution last week calling on the Department of Homeland Security to extend its Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program to 2019.

Temporary Protected Status allows foreign nationals from 10 countries who cannot return home due to ongoing armed conflict or an environmental catastrophe to temporarily live in the United States. The program is set to expire either late this year or in 2018 for all 10 nations unless extended.

Many worry that under President Trump, the program will be allowed to expire without an extension, which is typically granted.

According to the resolution, co-filed by Mayor Curtatone and Board of Aldermen President William White, Somerville supports the continued protection of immigrants from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras and Nicaragua, according to the Boston Globe.

Citing the most recent census data, the Globe reported that about 25 percent of Somerville's population are foreign born. It is the second city to pass a resolution for extended TPS protection, behind neighboring Cambridge.

The resolution will next go to Sen. Ed Markey and Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Michael Capuano for national discussion. According to the Somerville Times, Alderman At-Large Mary Jo Rossetti said Aldermen plan to file further resolutions if the federal government does not acknowledge requests of the current one.

Image courtesy Eric Kilby via Flickr