Washington, D.C. — In advance of the March 6 U.S. House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Protecting Dreamers and TPS Recipients”—and the fly-in in which more than 75 Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients will travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with lawmakers and advocate for permanent protections—the Center for American Progress released a fact sheet highlighting the important role that TPS holders are playing in rebuilding communities devastated by recent natural disasters.
The fact sheet contains new data on TPS holders working in construction occupations in six states hit by natural disasters over the past two years, as well as data on TPS holders in more specialized occupations and senior roles. Out of 45,900 TPS workers total in U.S. construction, 7,900 are carpenters, 2,400 are brick masons, 1,800 are plumbers or pipe layers, and 1,500 are electricians, while 2,700 are first-line supervisors and 1,600 are managers.
The large numbers of TPS holders who work in construction occupations in the following states demonstrate how inextricably TPS is linked to rebuilding efforts:
- California, which is recovering from two wildfires, is home to 5,100 TPS holders who are in construction-related occupations and ranks first for TPS recipients.
- Texas, which is recovering from Hurricane Harvey, ranks second for TPS recipients and is home to 6,800 TPS holders who are in construction-related occupations.
- Florida, which is recovering from Hurricanes Irma and Michael, ranks third for TPS recipients and is home to 4,200 TPS holders who are in construction-related occupations.
- Virginia, which is recovering from Hurricanes Florence and Michael, ranks fifth for TPS recipients and is home to 8,400 TPS holders who are in construction-related occupations.
- North Carolina, which is recovering from Hurricanes Florence and Michael, ranks eighth for TPS recipients and is home to 1,800 TPS holders in construction-related occupations.
- Georgia, which is recovering from Hurricanes Irma and Michael, ranks ninth for TPS recipients and is home to 1,000 TPS holders in construction-related occupations.
“Construction-related occupations rank second among workers with TPS, and in these roles they contribute to rebuilding after natural disasters,” said Nicole Prchal Svajlenka, senior policy analyst of Immigration Policy at CAP. “It is long past time for Congress to protect immigrants with TPS and their families. Not only would this benefit our economy, but it would also ensure that progress on rebuilding efforts continues apace in disaster-affected communities.”
Click here to read “TPS Workers Are Rebuilding States Devastated by Natural Disasters” by Nicole Prchal Svajlenka.
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For more information or to speak to an expert on this topic, please contact Rafael Medina at [email protected] or 202.748.5313.