Texas residents who are temporary protected status immigrants may wonder how to obtain permanent residency. Their eligibility for green cards may depend on whether they entered the United States with authorization or not.
What is temporary protected status?
U.S. immigration law assigns a temporary protected status to immigrants who need protection after fleeing their country. Typical reasons these individuals fled their home countries include war and natural disasters. Protection under the law stops them from getting deported out of the United States.
Applying for permanent residency
Those who were granted temporary protected status may opt for applying for permanent residency in the United States. Also known as applying for a green card, this process is not open to every immigrant. The reality is that those who entered the United States without authorization and were granted temporary protected status are being denied the ability to obtain a green card.
One couple who entered the United States illegally was granted temporary protected status, but when they applied for a green card, they were denied. This denial sparked a new debate over whether or not such immigrants should be authorized to obtain permanent residency. Lawmakers are split on the issue; some state that the law requires an immigrant to enter the country with proper authorization before they can apply for permanent residency. Others believe that any immigrant granted temporary protected status should be eligible for a green card.
Immigration law is always changing, so those with temporary protected status may wonder what rights they have in the United States. Immigrants who are seeking more information about how to apply for and receive a green card may want to seek guidance from an experienced attorney.