Ecuador's Foreign Minister Requests TPS for Ecuadorians from the U.S. Government

Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld has recently formalized a request for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to the United States for Ecuadorian citizens residing there without legal status. This initiative comes amid rising violence and clashes with organized crime gangs in Ecuador, which President Daniel Noboa has described as an "internal armed conflict."

TPS is a measure that would allow affected Ecuadorians to access social security, formal employment, and avoid removal proceedings, while also contributing economically to both Ecuador and the United States. This proposal adds to current policies that offer TPS to citizens of Venezuela, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador due to similar situations in their countries of origin.

The request was sent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the final decision on its approval rests with U.S. authorities. The measure seeks to provide stability and protection to Ecuadorians in an irregular situation, and reflects the Ecuadorian government's commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens, both within and beyond its borders.