SILVER SPRING, Maryland — Today, as Vice President Kamala Harris visits Honduras to attend the historic inauguration of President-elect Xiomara Castro, CLINIC calls on the Biden-Harris administration to newly designate Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for Honduras.

“As a Catholic organization, CLINIC stands in solidarity with the world’s most vulnerable people, and we urge our lawmakers to do the same,” said Anna Gallagher, CLINIC’s Executive Director. “It should be no surprise to Vice President Harris in her visit to Honduras that the nation is still reeling from the effects of hurricanes Eta and Iota. As President-elect Castro transitions to her new role, the U.S. government would do well to support her and the people of Honduras by newly designating TPS and providing some stability for both the Northern Triangle region and Hondurans currently in the United States.”

It is estimated that hurricanes Eta and Iota caused $10 billion in economic damage to Honduras, as well as devastating infrastructural damage that has left tens of thousands homeless and isolated from humanitarian assistance. As a staunch advocate for the expansive use of TPS, CLINIC believes the U.S. must newly designate TPS for Honduras immediately to protect vulnerable people and to ensure that deportations to the nation do not add further instability and volatility to an already devastated landscape.

“Historically, TPS has been underused as the vital, life-saving protection it is and this is certainly the case under the Biden administration,” said Lisa Parisio, CLINIC’s Director of Advocacy. “CLINIC continues to call on the Biden administration to put in place a policy to use TPS broadly and boldly. The expansive use of TPS is essential to protect human life, keep families together, rebuild our economy, and serve other vital domestic and foreign policy interests.”

In addition to extended protections for Honduras, CLINIC urges the Biden-Harris administration to issue new TPS designations for other Central American countries impacted by the hurricanes and other factors, including El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.