While in El Salvador on Wednesday, Arturo Valenzuela announced that the US Government decided to extend temporary protected status to Nicaraguans, Salvadorans, and Hondurans for another eighteen months. (AP/Yahoo)
Nicaraguans and Hondurans living in the US prior to December 30, 1998 were provided with this privileged status because of the devastating effects of Hurricane Mitch. Roughly 70,000 benefit from the policy.
On the other hand, approximately 200,000 Salvadorans benefit from the TPS that was extended to them following the two devastating earthquakes in 2001. While I am happy for those that immigrants that benefit from the policy, I can't really say that it makes sense so many years after the natural disasters occurred.
Any bets on when the US will end the program?
