Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines taking thousands of lives, displacing many more and causing billions in damage.  When a country is so ravaged by natural disaster, the United States leads in offering assistance and aid to those in the areas of devastation and those affected by it within our borders.

The Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) based on extraordinary and temporary conditions within a country under the authority of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).  The DHS under the Obama administration designated TPS to Haiti in 2010 (and recently extended it to 2014) as a result of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that similarly took thousands of lives, displaced many more and devastated the country. 

We now need to extend our humanitarian hand and not force Filipinos in the United States to return to the Philippines while it struggles to recover and rebuild with all the challenges that normally follow a natural disaster.  Please designate TPS to the Philippines Mr. Obama.

For more information about the TPS program, click here.