Biden and Harris’ Reckless Expansion of TPS: A Threat to National Security?

In an act demonstrative of their lack of concern for national security, the Biden administration has displayed alarming support for the Temporary Protected Status (TPS), thereby recklessly expanding its reach to cover a staggering 1 million people. It seems as though this administration has an uncanny knack for making decisions that do little to benefit the American people.

Originally, TPS was created for Nicaraguans and Hondurans who were facing unfavourable conditions back home, allowing them the chance to reside and work in the United States. It’s worth mentioning that this move was implemented by the Trump administration, and it served as an emergency measure for individuals from specified countries where it was deemed unsafe to return.

Fast forward a few years, and we now have a Biden-Harris administration that appears to be audaciously disregarding the tenets of sustainable immigration policies. Their unwavering support for TPS is a clear indicator of how their poor decision-making could lead to a national crisis.

There was a logical process to end TPS for the appropriate groups – a move the Trump administration made. If the initiating conditions have ameliorated, then there is nothing barring these individuals from returning to their home countries. After all, it was meant to be a temporary solution, not a permanent one.

The Department of Homeland Security under the Trump administration embraced this justified course of action and concluded that the situations in Nicaragua and Honduras had improved since the initial decision in 1999. True to its name, ‘Temporary’ Protected Status, it was time for plan to conclude its course, redirecting these people back to their improved homeland environment.

Conversely, Biden’s administration seems to harbor a different sentiment. Despite the Department of Homeland Security’s findings, they still cling onto the TPS, thereby advocating for an indefinite stay of these immigrants in the U.S. The implications of such a stance could bring serious national security concerns to light.

Upon cancelling TPS, one would assume that these individuals would regain their previous immigration status. However, for those who were previously unauthorized, they are once again unauthorized. The consequences? They lose their employment authorization, a rightfully placed policy encouraging rightful immigration processes.

The pronouncement of TPS’ lack of permanence, as made by the Trump administration, may have shocked or disheartened some; but it’s important to remember the context. The measure was only ever meant to offer respite to people from unsafe conditions, not to facilitate indefinite stays in the U.S.

Word has it that the TPS holders from Nicaragua and Honduras, who have stayed in the U.S for over a couple of decades now, are frantic. They’re rooting around to find suitable methods to prolong their stay in the country. It’s understandable. However, it’s also necessary to uphold principles of immigration law.

While the eyes of fearful TPS holders are on the Biden administration at present, the plight of several Venezuelans and Haitians hangs by a thread, as their TPS status was also on the verge of expiration. Once again, the judicial system had to intervene, blocking the termination of their legal protections and impacting over a million people in the process.

But one must ask – where does the buck stop? How far will the Biden administration stretch the TPS? These are the questions that merit serious thought and cogitation. Placing a band-aid on a festering wound does not encourage healing; it merely hides the problem.

TPS, as the very name suggests, should be temporary. It shouldn’t be used as a subterfuge for backdoor entry into the country, providing a loophole for lax immigration checks, which seems to play perfectly well into the hands of the Biden-Harris administration.

To echo the sentiments of many concerned citizens, we need robust policies that strengthen our national security, not decisions that leave us vulnerable. It’s high time to ask ourselves whether we are indeed for the safety of the public or are simply complicit in masking the gravity of undesired immigration situations.

Biden and Harris’ unabashed willingness to stretch the TPS indefinitely without seeming to consider the potential implications is nothing short of shortsighted. It is important that the rule of law is upheld, and that includes policies related to immigration and border security.

As we move forward, it’s essential to reiterate the importance of maintaining the integrity of our immigration system. Policies that may seem generous on paper could lead to daunting ramifications when realized. The TPS is, indeed, a delicate situation. However, in order to ensure the future stability of our nation, we must tread cautiously, and not indulge in careless expansion of temporary policies.