Falina Ongus

Networking 101: Avenues and Impacts of Relationship Formation Among Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Beneficiaries, Immigrant Communities, and the Organizations That Support Them

Within the U.S. immigration system, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a lesser-known status that is unique in its relationship with the country’s immigration bureaucracy. TPS beneficiaries maintain constant contact with immigration authorities while remaining in an extended state of impermanence. Under this status, TPS holders must nonetheless make space for themselves in American society, building communities composed of a variety of actors. Drawing on fourteen interviews with TPS recipients and the organizations that support them in three states—Florida, Massachusetts, and New York—, this research investigates the formation of connections among these groups and how such networks enable TPS holders to access support services, disseminate information, and engage in advocacy. Findings include that TPS holders rely on vast networks of legal and social service organizations, religious institutions, and other immigrants to connect with services and employment opportunities. They also utilize the same networks that support them with resources to help them screen information and find what is relevant to their situation and true. Lastly, advocacy efforts emerging from these networks have already proven indispensable to the endurance of TPS and continue to be crucial in promoting the status’s longevity. This research highlights the importance of the status to its beneficiaries who are presently facing its cancellation. The loss of TPS would be devastating for TPS holders and have far-reaching effects on the communities in which they are embedded. Consequently, scholarship about the TPS is vital and can inform a greater understanding and investigation of the American immigration system as well as advocacy efforts on behalf of all immigrant communities.