ON MIGRATION: More immigrants have temporary status than previously known

November 22, 2017

November 10, 2017, for The Boston Herald

Thousands more immigrants are living in Massachusetts under Temporary Protected Status than previously thought.

The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition says 12,326 people from 10 countries have the temporary authorization. Previous estimates pegged the population at around 8,000 residents.

The largest share hail from El Salvador (6,058) and Haiti (4,735). Massachusetts TPS holders also come from Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

President Donald Trump’s administration is reviewing the authorizations, which are generally granted to residents of nations struck by natural disasters and civil wars.

The administration has until Nov. 23 to decide whether to extend TPS for Haitians beyond the current Jan. 22 expiration.

MIRA says the updated figures were provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to U.S. Sen. Ed Markey’s office.

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