Update · Oct 7, 2026

ProPublica, counting 506 U.S. citizens held by immigration agents since January 2025, found about a dozen American children deported with their parents; DHS says parents are asked first, and may name a safe person for ICE to leave a child with instead. If you have a U.S.-citizen child, write that name down now and give a copy to that person, to your child’s school, and to a lawyer. TPS for Haiti and Syria has been terminated since July 27, and losing it is still not a deportation order. Always confirm on the official USCIS page, never social media. See what changed →

TPS
TPS Survival Guide Free · Nonprofit · Verified against USCIS, the Federal Register & the Supreme Court
1-888-600-5762
Free help · English · Kreyòl · Español 🖨 Print rights card
Seeing ICE? Report it — observers verify
Seeing ICE activity? Report it — trained observers verify.Seeing ICE? Report it — observers verify. FL: 1-888-600-5762 RAISE National: 1-844-363-1423 MigraWatch MN: 612-255-3112 COPAL Crisis: 988 24/7

Your Rights & Options

Not legal advice. The options below have strict rules and are hard to win. This list only helps you ask the right questions when you meet a lawyer. Do not assume you qualify. See a licensed immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative — many help free or low-cost (Find Help).

🤝 The fight isn't over — but nothing in it protects you today

Advocates, lawmakers and lawyers are still pushing. Here is exactly where that stands, and what it does for you right now, which is nothing:

  • In Congress: a bill to extend TPS for Haiti for three years, to April 2029, passed the House 224–204 on April 16, 2026 and has not moved in the Senate since. A companion bill (S. 4814) was introduced in June and has not cleared the Judiciary Committee. Springfield's mayor and more than 500 Ohio clergy asked Congress to act this month; senators have not responded. A bill that is not law confers nothing on anyone — it does not restore a work permit, stop a removal, or pause an ICE check-in. Do not plan around it, and nobody may charge you a fee to sign you up for it, because there is nothing to sign up for. What the bill would actually do →
  • In court: the Syrian plaintiffs' case is still alive in federal court in Manhattan, and the government has asked the judge to dismiss it. No judge has ruled. No court order is pausing the terminations, and nobody may charge you a fee to add you to that case.
  • A pending case of your own is not a shield either. Several people removed or detained this month had an asylum application or a family petition already filed. That is not a reason to stop filing — it is what a lawyer builds from — but it does not stop an arrest, and it is not status. What a pending case stops, and what it does not →
  • What this means for you: your TPS protection ended July 27, 2026, and the work permit tied to it ended the same day. Get an individual legal review now rather than waiting on any of the above. If the law changes later, being prepared costs you nothing. Losing TPS is not a deportation order.

Sources: Office of Rep. Ayanna Pressley (house.gov, House passage 224–204); USCIS TPS page; TPS Survival Guide — the bill in the Senate.

The single most important first step

Get an individual case review from a real immigration attorney or accredited representative now, while you still have time and options — especially if you might qualify for asylum, which has a strict deadline. Do not wait for a notice in the mail.

A tidy home front door and steps, warm and welcoming
Your home and your rights stand together — know what a warrant does and doesn't allow before anyone knocks.

1) Other immigration relief you might qualify for

Asylum

Form I-589

For people who fear serious harm at home based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or a particular social group. There is generally a 1-year-from-arrival filing deadline, but losing TPS may count as a "changed circumstance" exception — ask a lawyer immediately. A pending asylum case can also open a work-permit option after 150 days.

Family-based green card

Forms I-130 + I-485

Strongest for spouses, parents, and children of U.S. citizens. The catch: adjusting from inside the U.S. usually requires a lawful entry. Some who traveled on TPS travel authorization (Form I-512T) and were admitted may qualify — but this is fact-specific. Ask before assuming.

U visa (crime victims)

Form I-918

For victims of certain serious crimes who helped law enforcement. Needs a signed law-enforcement certification, and the waiting list is long.

T visa (trafficking)

Form I-914

For victims of severe human trafficking. Usually requires cooperation with law enforcement (with exceptions).

VAWA self-petition

Form I-360

For people abused by a U.S.-citizen or green-card spouse, parent, or adult child. Men and women both qualify. You can file on your own, confidentially, with no fee.

Cancellation of removal

Form EOIR-42B (court only)

Only for people already in immigration court who meet a high bar (10+ years here, good moral character, extreme hardship to a U.S.-citizen/LPR family member).

Form numbers verified at USCIS.gov; cancellation of removal via DOJ EOIR.

Go deeper on your options after TPS →

2) Know your rights if ICE approaches you

You have rights no matter your immigration status.

At your door

  • You do not have to open the door. Ask them to show a warrant through the window or under the door.
  • A warrant must be signed by a judge with your correct name/address to let them enter. A form signed only by an ICE officer (administrative warrant) does not allow them inside.
  • Stay calm. Do not run. Do not lie.

Your core rights

  • Remain silent. You can say: "I want to remain silent. I want to speak to a lawyer."
  • Do not sign anything without a lawyer — signing the wrong paper can give up your right to a hearing.
  • Do not show foreign documents (like a foreign passport); they can be used against you.
  • You have the right to a lawyer (the government won't pay, but free help exists).

Carry a free wallet-size "Red Card" stating your rights: ILRC Red Cards · NILC Know Your Rights card · ACLU.

3) Prepare now — preparedness checklist

Prepare while you are calm, not during an emergency. Gather and safely copy these (keep originals safe; give copies to someone you trust):

  • Passport(s) and any national ID
  • All TPS approval and receipt notices
  • Your work permit (EAD) cards — current and old
  • Proof of continuous U.S. residence (leases, bills, pay stubs, school/medical records)
  • Tax records (returns / W-2s for every year)
  • Birth/marriage certificates and children's documents
  • Any immigration paperwork you've ever filed
  • Write down your A-number (Alien Registration Number) for trusted family

Also: memorize a lawyer's or trusted contact's phone number; choose emergency contacts; make a childcare plan (consider a childcare power of attorney); make a family safety plan. Free step-by-step guide: ILRC Family Preparedness Plan.

4) Work & travel — the reality

  • Working after your EAD expires (with no other valid permit) is unauthorized and can hurt future cases. Never use fake documents — that is a serious crime. A new work permit is only possible if you have another qualifying case (e.g., a pending asylum, green card, U/T/VAWA case).
  • Leaving the U.S. after your status lapses is dangerous. It can trigger a 3-year or 10-year bar on returning, and can destroy a case you're trying to build. Do not travel without talking to an attorney first. (USCIS)