ARGENTINIANS PRESS FOR TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS
It was recently reported that officials at the Argentine Embassy in Washington, DC, asked the US government to grant Argentine nationals in the US Temporary Protected Status. They are attempting to provide some protection for those people who entered the US between February 21, 2001 and February 21, 2002. The move follows the recent economic collapse in Argentina.
TPS is generally granted in cases where the country has been the victim of severe natural disasters, as was the case when TPS was granted to Honduran and Nicaraguan nationals after Hurricane Mitch, or where the country was involved in a war, as was the case when TPS was granted to Liberian nationals while the country was embroiled in a civil war. Many wonder whether the request for TPS will be successful. For a number of years, Colombian officials have been attempting to secure TPS, arguing that between the violence and the poor economic conditions there, the US should not be forcing people to return. However, they have not been able to convince the US, largely because it is seen as economically motivated. Given that there has been little violence in Argentina since the economic collapse, many think the Argentine request for TPS will similarly fail.  |