Monthly Archives: February 2015

The Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to grant temporary protected status (TPS) to people of a foreign state living in the U.S.  El Salvadorans who have TPS must re-register by March 9, 2015, in order to maintain their status.  DHS grants this kind of temporary immigration status as a safe haven to persons from a designated foreign state when conditions in that foreign state pose a threat to their return because of armed conflict, environmental disasters, and other extraordinary and temporary conditions. TPS covers persons who are already in the U.S. at the time TPS designation is made. TPS is a temporary designation of six to 18 months and can be extended through re-registration.

El Salvadoran nationals in the U.S. as of March 9, 2001 are eligible for TPS. El Salvadorans who arrived in the U.S. after that date do not qualify for TPS under the 2001 designation.

Re-registration applications must be filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a division of DHS. To re-register, current TPS holders must submit:

• Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status;
• biometrics services fee or fee waiver request, if 14 years or older;
• Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization; and
• Form I-765 application fee or fee waiver request if they want EAD.

All forms can be obtained free from USCIS by downloading them at the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/forms or by calling USCIS toll-free at 1-800-870-3676.  Re-registration applications can be submitted electronically or by mail.  Additional information can be found online at http://www.uscis.gov/tps.

Under very limited circumstances, an applicant who has been residing in the U.S. since March 9, 2001 may be able to apply for initial TPS eligibility under the 2001 designation.

Automatic Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Extension

USCIS reviews individual cases to determine whether applicants are eligible to work before a final decision on a TPS application is made. If an applicant is found to be eligible upon initial review of their TPS application they will receive employment authorization documents (EADs). Work authorization shall be effective throughout the period that an individual is in temporary protected status. USCIS has automatically extended the validity of EADs issued under the last extension of TPS El Salvador for an additional six months through September 9, 2015.  Date expired EADs of El Salvadoran TPS beneficiaries who have applied for re-registration are valid through September 9, 2015.

Protesters in New York call on Walmart to hold managers accountable for their actions against workers who take action for change.

Last Wednesday, workers and community members gathered to call on Walmart to either adhere to the company’s publicly stated anti-retaliation policy by punishing managers who target workers, or admit that it supports these anti-worker actions by managers. There were a total of 17 actions in 14 different states. OUR Walmart members filed more than 35 additional unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board over retaliation against workers who took action last Black Friday season.

Walmart workers have made big strides toward improving the company where they work over the last year. Their actions have resulted in an improved pregnancy policy, an overhauled scheduling system, and the promise of a raise for the lowest paid workers at Walmart. Yet for too many workers, these victories have come at a price. While Walmart publicly states that it has a strict anti-retaliation policy, those who stood up for their rights last Black Friday season are facing disciplinary actions, unfair treatment, and even termination.

Kiana Howard is a single mom who has been trying to get a regular schedule so that she can support her son. Instead, she and her co-workers were illegally fired and disciplined for going on strike to end to this very kind of retaliation. She joined with OUR Walmart members across the country to challenge the company and her manager. The organization launched a “Wild West or Walmart Policy” page online, featuring the managers who have illegally targeted workers for exercising their rights. You can see their website and join more than 18,000 other supporters by signing their petition here.