The City of Somerville’s Board of Alderman recently passed a resolution supporting the extension of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a form of immigration status that provides employment authorization and protection from deportation for foreign nationals who cannot be safely returned to their home countries.

In its resolution, the Board stated that the city maintains a long and proud history as one that supports, values and respects its immigrants, regardless of their status of documentation, and refugees escaping war and natural disasters.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will consider whether to extend designations of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for all nationals that currently hold TPS including over 300,000 Salvadoran, Honduran, Nicaraguan and Haitian immigrants.

Proponents of the resolution feel that in light of the national administration’s radical increase of interior and exterior immigration enforcement through executive orders, funding requests, and policy guidance, the continued existence of TPS is very much at risk.

According to the resolution, It is estimated that ending TPS for immigrants from El Salvador, Haiti and Honduras would result in a $6.9 billion reduction to Social Security and Medicare contributions over a decade, and the deportation of these individuals would cost taxpayers approximately $3.1 billion dollars.

As we celebrate Haitian and Brazilian culture this coming weekend, it might be wise to consider positive contributions of TPS holders and their families to the economy, social fabric, diversity and wellbeing of our community, just as the Board of Alderman has done.