CNA Staff, Dec 8, 2020 / 18:10 pm
After several Central American countries were hit hard by hurricanes Iota and Eta, the Department of Homeland Security has extended existing temporary protected status (TPS) for Honduras and given new protections to its nationals.
"The economic damage caused by both storms, and the blow from the pandemic, has caused the Honduran economy to be greatly affected," Honduran Foreign Minister Lisandro Rosales said Dec. 4.
"Reconstruction comes from a sustainable social and economic rebuilding, and our compatriots here in the United States can (help) achieve that by supporting their families in Honduras," said Rosales, according to CNN.
Over 44,000 Hondurans in the U.S. presently fall under TPS protection, which was set to expire in January. The status is meant to temporarily shield immigrants from scheduled deportation when there are adverse situations in their countries of origin. It is usually conferred after a natural disaster, an epidemic or social unrest that would cause extreme hardship for those forced to return. The designation allows those affected to work legally in the United States.