Temporary Protected Status (TPS) allows immigrants from countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other crises to live and work in the U.S. legally without fear of deportation. Under current law, the Secretary of Homeland Security can designate, extend, or terminate TPS for any country; this bill would require an Act of Congress for each of those actions — removing the executive branch's unilateral authority. The bill also adds a new ineligibility rule barring anyone who lacks lawful immigration status from receiving TPS, a major shift since TPS has historically been available regardless of how a person arrived in the U.S. Initial country designations would be capped at 18 months, with extensions limited to 12 months.
Civil Liberties
- TPS access for undocumented immigrants — People without prior lawful status newly barred from receiving temporary protected status
Transparency & Accountability
- Congressional authority over TPS — Executive-branch discretion replaced by requirement for an Act of Congress to designate, extend, or terminate TPS
Congressional Summary
TPS Reform Act of 2025This bill changes the procedures for designating a country with temporary protected status (TPS) and places restrictions on who is allowed to benefit from this status. (Qualified nationals of a TPS-designated country are eligible for work authorization and may not be removed from the United States while the status is in effect.)Specifically, the bill requires an act of Congress to designate a TPS country, whereas currently the Department of Homeland Security has such authority. The initial act of designating a TPS country must include a time period for the designation of up to 18 months and also contain certain information, including an estimate of the number of individuals who would benefit from the status. Congress may also pass an act to terminate or extend a designation.The bill also establishes that a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) who lacks lawful immigration status may not receive the benefits of temporary protected status.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-06-26
- Date Added
- 2026-06-13
- Source
- Congress.gov →
Like reading a bill in plain English?
We're building an app that does this for every bill in Congress and lets you tell your reps how you want them to vote. We're a small team getting ready to launch, and we're trying to show investors that real people want this. Be one of them. Help us get it built. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment the app is ready.